Inventory No: Historic Name: HRV.28 Unitarian Church Parsonage Common Name: Address: 5 Littleton Rd City/Town: Village/Neighborhood: Center Local No: 17D-16; 233 Year Constructed: C 1850 Architect(s): Architectural Style(s): Use(s): Significance: Area(s): Designation(s): Greek Revival Business Office; Multiple Family Dwelling House; Parsonage; Single Family Dwelling House Architecture; Religion HRV.A: Common Historic District HRV.O: Center Historic District Local Historic District (3/27/1975); Nat'l Register District (9/22/1997) The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) has converted this paper record to digital format as part of ongoing projects to scan records of the Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth and National Register of Historic Places nominations for Massachusetts. Efforts are ongoing and not all inventory or National Register records related to this resource may be available in digital format at this time. The MACRIS database and scanned files are highly dynamic; new information is added daily and both database records and related scanned files may be updated as new information is incorporated into MHC files. Users should note that there may be a considerable lag time between the receipt of new or updated records by MHC and the appearance of related information in MACRIS. Users should also note that not all source materials for the MACRIS database are made available as scanned images. Users may consult the records, files and maps available in MHC's public research area at its offices at the State Archives Building, 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, open M-F, 9-5. Users of this digital material acknowledge that they have read and understood the MACRIS Information and Disclaimer (http://mhc-macris.net/macrisdisclaimer.htm) Data available via the MACRIS web interface, and associated scanned files are for information purposes only. THE ACT OF CHECKING THIS DATABASE AND ASSOCIATED SCANNED FILES DOES NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS. IF YOU ARE REPRESENTING A DEVELOPER AND/OR A PROPOSED PROJECT THAT WILL REQUIRE A PERMIT, LICENSE OR FUNDING FROM ANY STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY YOU MUST SUBMIT A PROJECT NOTIFICATION FORM TO MHC FOR MHC'S REVIEW AND COMMENT. You can obtain a copy of a PNF through the MHC web site (www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc) under the subject heading "MHC Forms." Commonwealth of Massachusetts Massachusetts Historical Commission 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125 www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc This file was accessed on: Friday, February 08, 2013 at 11:53 PM
FORM B - BUILDING assessor's # 17D-16 Massachusetts Historical Commission 80 Boylston Street Boston MA 02116 usgs quad Ayer Town Place Address area Common form #Zf Common 05 Littleton Road Historic Name: Unitarian Parsonage Use Present residence Original residence of construction: ca. 1850 Source Style reverse Greek Revival/Ital Form end house plus Sketch Map Architect Exterior N/A Material: N A Wall/Trim wood Roof asphalt Foundation stone Outbuildings See rear of form for more detailed description Alterations modest See rear of form for more detailed description. Condition good Recorded by: Claire W. Dempsey Organization: : May 1993 Historical COMi " io RECEiVED JUL 1 5 1993 f'^ss. HIST. COMM. Moved no Acreage.31 acres Setting village See rear of form for detailed description
BUILDING FORM ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION The house a t 5 L i t t l e t o n Road i s an example o f t h e f i r s t common end houses, c o n s t r u c t e d i n t h e area d u r i n g t h e 1830s t h r o u g h t h e 1850s. T h i s example p r e s e n t s t h e g a b l e end t o t h e s t r e e t w i t h t h e e n t r y i n t h e t h i r d o f t h e t h r e e bays. I t s s i z e i s augmented w i t h t h e p r o j e c t i n g n e a r l y f l a t - r o o f e d bay which extends f r o m t h e r i g h t l a t e r a l w a l l and a s m a l l r e a r e l l. The house has been t r e a t e d w i t h f a m i l i a r Greek R e v i v a l ornament, i n c l u d i n g deep eaves w i t h r e t u r n s, a w i d e c o r n i c e and p a n e l e d D o r i c p i l a s t e r s a t t h e c o r n e r s. A t p r e s e n t a p o r c h i s l o c a t e d across t h e facade, w i t h square c o r n e r p o s t s r i s i n g t o f o u r b r a c k e t s a t t h e r o o f eave, and square b a l u s t e r s between; i t appears t o d a t e t o t h e l a t e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y. The p l a n i s l i k e l y t o i n c l u d e a s t a i r h a l l b e h i n d t h e door, a p a r l o r i n t h e f r o n t, two rooms i n t h e wide c e n t r a l p o r t i o n, l i k e l y t o have been a d i n i n g room and a s m a l l chamber, w i t h t h e k i t c h e n and o t h e r s e r v i c e areas i n t h e r e a r e l l. The house i s connected t o a s m a l l b a r n / c a r r i a g e house, s i t e d a t a r i g h t a n g l e from t h e r i g h t r e a r c o r n e r o f t h e house; a l o w a d d i t i o n i s l o c a t e d i n t h i s r e - e n t r a n t a n g l e, an i r r e g u l a r p o l y g o n w i t h a l a r g e window and door across i t s a n g l e d f r o n t. The house i s l o c a t e d on L i t t l e t o n Road a t t h e edge o f t h e c l u s t e r e d v i l l a g e s e t t l e m e n t. A s t o n e r e t a i n i n g w a l l s u p p o r t s t h e garden t e r r a c e t h a t s u r r o u n d s t h e house; an a s p h a l t d r i v e on t h e r i g h t l e a d s t o t h e c a r r i a g e house. HISTORICAL NARRATIVE The house a t 5 L i t t l e t o n Road f i r s t appears on 's h i s t o r i c maps i n 1870. I t s f i r s t owner i s n o t known, as i t s appearance suggests t h a t i t was b u i l t b e f o r e 1869 when i t was purchased by t h e U n i t a r i a n Church f o r use as i t s parsonage. The U n i t a r i a n Church, l o c a t e d on t h e Common, i s t h e most d i r e c t descendant o f t h e town's F i r s t Church, which s u f f e r e d a schism w i t h t h e removal o f t h e E v a n g e l i c a l C o n g r e g a t i o n a l i s t s i n 1820. The c h u r c h had f o r m e r l y used t h e o l d Seccomb-Bromfield House, f o r m e r l y on t h e s i t e o f t h e B r o m f i e l d School, and t h e Old Manse a t 2 8 F a i r b a n k S t r e e t as h o u s i n g f o r i t s m i n i s t e r s. T h i s b u i l d i n g c o n t i n u e d t o s e r v e i n t h a t r o l e t h r o u g h t h e end o f t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y. P a s t o r s who served t h i s church i n the 19th century i n c l u d e d Daniel Francis Goddard, who s e r v e d f r o m 1870 t o 1880 and a l a r g e number who s e r v e d o n l y a y e a r o r two i n t h e town. REFERENCES Nourse, History of, 1894. Essays on Common Area by Hersey (1936) and Sawyer (1952). Notes o f S c o u r g i e, HHS. Holman Map o f 1831; Beers A t l a s o f 1870; Richardson A t l a s o f 1898. x Recommended f o r l i s t i n g i n t h e N a t i o n a l R e g i s t e r o f H i s t o r i c P l a c e s. N R ~ C r i t e r i a S t a t e m e n t form f o r t h e H a r v a r d Common A r e a. See
FORM B - In A r e a no. BUILDING I F o r m no. 233 B MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston 1. Town Address Name T W Littleton Road TURNER-PIETERS. R e a l t o r s Present use Office & Apartment 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side erf f o r m Photo numher Present owner Edward A. Pieters 3. D e s c r i p t i o n _ Eargg 1900^^1 ^, < ( ffigjdj Source Style Village house Architect Exterior wall fabric Clapboard Outbuildings (describe) B a r n Other features IS attached Yellow with w h i t e Altered_ Moved trim 5. L o t size: fjd One acre or less X A p p r o x i m a t e frontage Over one acre_ 125" A p p r o x i m a t e distance of b u i l d i n g f r o m street 10J 6. Recorded by P O NOT W R I T E I N THIS SPACE USGS Quadrant V M l l i a m H. Organization O c i o ' r e r 16, Newsham H i s t o r i c a l Comm PVLHC Photo no. (over) 1974
7. Original owner (if known).4o^_^ fj-- ' ^ ^ Z Original use _ U S/ ^. Subsequent uses (if any) and dates '^SJA^I^ H^JL. ItA^JZ is u ^ i i ^, y fl_ ^ j ^-v ^ 8. Themes (check as many as applicable) Aboriginal Conservation Recreation Agricultural _ Education Religion ^ Architectural Exploration/ Science The Arts settlement invention Commerce Industry Social/ Communication Military humanitarian Community development Political Transportation 9. Historical significance (include explanation of tlwmes checked above) 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.)