Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Is Newburyport Worth Preserving? My Castle or an Ounce of Prevention

A few random thoughts from yours truly on the LHD issue...

My Castle
An old cliche which has been bandied about quite a bit of late in relation to the Local Historic District issue is "a man's home is his castle."  In fact, I got an email today from a constituent who, although not living in the proposed District, referenced this very phrase to explain her opposition to the LHD.

Our home is our "castle" and there should not be dictates as to how we manage it.  There are enough governmental intrusions in our lives and we do not need anymore.
My own take is that if my house was my castle I'd be able to mow my lawn at 5AM, blast my electric guitar amplifier from my porch anytime I pleased, host a large permanent billboard on the side to extol my opinions to the world, and build a shed the size of the Astrodome in my back yard.

Another thought: if my home is my castle and a developer buys my castle, is it then the developer's castle?

Another thought: if I have my castle and my neighbor trashes his castle next door, is my enjoyment of my castle diminished in any way?

An Ounce of Prevention
An old cliche which I haven't heard as much lately but I think is equally or perhaps more relevant is "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Newburyport is not special because of its unique architecture; Newburyport is special because its ordinary architecture is still with us and makes us unique.  In most communities, the downtowns got bulldozed, old homes got trashed because someone thought that was easier, and we've lost a lot of our history.  I think it's a reasonable step to put minimal protections in place---the proposed LHD guidelines are the weakest and least intrusive of any of the over 200 Local Historic Districts in Massachusetts.

I want the grand-kids of our kids to be able to see in at least a few places what America was like 'back in the day'- a liveable and yes beautiful city.. Newburyport may or may not be one of those places depending on what the Council chooses to do in the next few weeks.

Below is the list of High Street properties in the Newburyport National Register Historic District, which is a different 'thing' than a Local Historic District.  For a more coherent explanation than I can give as to the difference, go here at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcpdf/difference.pdf

All the streets in the Register are here: http://www.newburyporthistoricdistrict.org/




Newburyport Historic District
District Data Sheets

*Status Code: The contributing status of structures has been assigned based on the retention of pre-1930 designs.

C            Buildings which clearly have major identifiable elements of their original (pre-1930) designs.
INT       – Those structures built after 1930 have been designated as intrusions.
MC       – Structures which appear to pre-date 1930 and which are similar in scale and materials to their neighbors, but which have undergone
major alterations such that their period of origin cannot be readily determined, designated           minor contributing structures.

High Street
Street Address
Map & Parcel
Historic Name
Date of Construction
Style/Comments
Status*
17
33-1

Ca 1790
Late Georgian twin-chimney gambrel
C
33-2

Ca 1800
Federalist
C
25
33-3

Ca 1890
Queen Anne
C
27
33-4

Ca 1925
Colonial Revival
C
29
33-5

Ca 1800; 1970’s
Federalist; alterations
MC
B & M Railroad -
Nbpt. City
Railroad Branch



31
33-7
March’s Hill Park



35
33-8

Ca 1845
Greek/Gothic Revival
C
37
33-9

Ca 1875
Italianate
C

33-10
Tennis Court
Empty lot


39
33-10

Ca 1890
Queen Anne/House & Stable
C
41
33-11

Ca 1890
Queen Anne
C
43-45
33-18

Ca 1800; ca 1870; ca 1910
Federalist; Italianate; Colonial Revival/House & Carriage House
C
33-19
Pierce-Knapp-Healey House
1811
Federalist
C
33-19
Pierce-Knapp-Healey Carriage House
1811
Federalist
C
49
33-20

Ca 1780; ca 1850
Late Georgian; Greek Revival entry
C
51
33-21

Ca 1810; ca 1870
Federalist; Second Empire
C
33-22
Daniel Hale/John Weed House
Ca 1665-1700
Central-chimney timber frame
C
57
33-23

Ca 1800; ca 1870
Federalist; Italianate alterations
C
33-24
33-24A
Jacob Gerrish House
1839
Federalist/Greek Revival
C
33-25
33-26A
Gerrish-Hill House
1799
Federalist
C
33-27
33-26
Pike-Cushing-Bachman House
Ca 1810; ca 1860
Federalist; Italianate
C
65
33-28

19th c (?)
Carriage House
C
69
33-29

Ca 1865
Italianate
C
71
33-30

Ca 1950
Colonial Revival
INT
33-31
Ebenezer Wheelwright House & Carriage House
Ca 1800; ca 1860
Federalist; Second Empire
C
33-32
Stocker-Wheelwright House & Carriage House
Ca 1797
Federalist
C
33-33
Wheelwright-Richardson House & Carriage House
Ca 1806; ca 1908
Federalist; Federalist Revival
C
33-36
Livermore-Lunt-Barron House
1805; ca 1840
Federalist; Greek Revival
C
33-37
Osgood-Rogers House
1807; 1842
Federalist; Greek Revival
C
33-38
Greenleaf-Hale House & Stable
1799
Late Georgian/Federalist
C
33-39
Joseph Moulton House (half)
1810
Federalist
C
33-40
Joseph Moulton House (half)
1810
Federalist
C
93
33-41

Ca 1865
Second Empire
C
95
33-42
Gas station
Ca 1965
Colonial Revival
INT
97
33-43
Gas station
Ca 1965
Colonial Revival
INT
NO NUMBER
35-160
Bartlett Mall George Washington Statue & Face
Laid out 1800; 1878
J.Q.A. Wood Sculptor
C
C


Superior Court House (C. Bulfinch, architect – 1805)
1805; 1853
Federalist; Italianate
C
149
35-161
Kelly School (Rufus Sargent, architect)
1872
Italianate
C
153
33-162

Ca 1845
Sidehall Greek Revival
C
155
33-163

Ca 1750-1775
Central-chimney half house
C
157
35-164

Ca 1750-1775
Central-chimney half house
C
159
35-165

Ca 1750-1775
Central-chimney half house
C
161
35-166

Ca 1810
Federalist
C
163
35-167

Ca 1775; ca 1900
Timber frame half house; Queen Anne alterations
C
165-167
35-137

Ca 1940-1950
Astylistic
INT
-----------------------
-----------------------
U.S. Route 1 -----
-----------------------
-----------------------
----------------------
35-136
Stickney-Toppan House
Ca 1765
 Central-chimney gambrel/Georgian
C
-----------------------
-----------------------
B & M RR bed ---
-----------------------
-----------------------
----------------------
179
37-1A
Tennis Court
Ca 1980

INT
181
37-2

Ca 1870
Italianate
C
183
37-3

Ca 1865
Second Empire
C
185
37-4

Ca 1810
Federalist
C
187
37-5

Ca 1855; ca 1895
Italianate; Queen Anne
C
189-191
37-6

Ca 1810
Federalist/House & Stable
C
193
37-7

Ca 1865
Italianate/House & Carriage House
C
195
37-8

Pre 1800; ca 1860; ca 1910
Twin-chimney timber frame; Italianate; Colonial Revival
C
197
37-9

Ca 1965
Contemporary
INT
37-10
Jackson-Dexter House
1771
High-style Georgian
C
37-11
Lowell-Tracy-Johnson House & Carriage House
1774
High-style Georgian
C
207
37-12

Ca 1865
Second Empire/House & Carriage House
C
37-13
37-14
Hoyt-Morrill House & Carriage House
1806
Federalist
C
38-38
Thomas Cutter House
Ca 1845
Greek Revival
C
38-39
Rev. John Dodge House
Ca 1890
Tudor Revival/Arts & Crafts
C
215
38-40

Ca 1965
Colonial Revival
INT
217
38-41

Ca 1965
Contemporary
INT
219


1983
Colonial Revival
INT
38-42
Goodwin-Hamilton House
Ca 1865
Victorian Gothic
C
225
38-43

Ca 1970
Colonial Revival
INT
REAR 225
38-48

Ca 1870
Italianate
C

38-49

Ca 1870
Italianate/Carriage House
C
231
38-44

Ca 1970
Colonial Revival
INT
233
38-75


Late Georgian
C
241
38-76
Newburyport High School
1937
Colonial Revival
MC
39-60
Toppan-Tyng House
Ca 1799
Federalist
C
251
39-61

Ca 1800; ca 1860
Central-chimney timber frame; early Victorian
C
253
39-62

Ca 1775
Timber frame
C
255
39-63

Ca 1890
Queen Anne
C
257
39-64

Ca 1865
Second Empire cottage
C
259
39-65

Ca 1910
Arts & Crafts
C
261
39-89

Ca 1890
Queen Anne
C
263
39-90

Ca 1940
Contemporary
INT
265
39-112

Ca 1910
Arts & Crafts
C
267
39-113
Pillsbury Place
1651(plaque); ca 1910
Central-chimney timber frame; Colonial Revival
C
271-273
39-114

Ca 1925
Dutch Colonial Revival
C
275
39-115

Ca 1925
Arts & Crafts
C
279
40-17

Ca 1940
Colonial Revival
INT
40-18
Miltimore-Husk House & Carriage House
1809
Federalist
C
40-19
Andrew Miltimore House
Ca 1870
Second Empire cottage
C
285
40-19A

Ca 1865
Italianate/House & Carriage House
C
287
40-20

Ca 1870
Second Empire cottage
C
289
40-48

Ca 1920
Arts & Crafts Bungalow
C
293
40-49

Ca 1890
Queen Anne
C
295
40-50

Ca 1960
Colonial Revival
INT
299
40-51

Ca 1750-1775
High-style mid-Georgian
C
303
40-52

Ca 1875
Sidehall Italianate
C
305
42-41

Ca 1800
Federalist
C
309
42-42

Ca 1800-1825
Federalist
C
311
42-43

Ca 1875
Italianate
C
315
42-48

Ca 1775-1800
Central-chimney timber frame
C
317
42-49

Ca 1875; ca 1900
Sidehall Italianate; Queen Anne
C
319
42-50

Ca 1930
Colonial Revival
MC
321
42-51

Ca 1775
Mid-Georgian
C
325
42-52

Ca 1975
Contemporary
INT
329
42-53

Ca 1900
Queen Anne
C
331
42-54
Belleville School
Ca 1955

INT
335
42-55

Ca 1960
Contemporary
INT
337
42-58

Ca 1875
Sidehall Italianate
C
42-59
William Hopkinson House
Ca 1800
Federalist
C
42-84
Oliver Hale Building
Ca 1870
Astylistic Victorian
C
343
42-85

Ca 1775
Mid-Georgian
C
347
42-86

Ca 1810
Federalist
C
42-87
Francis Lord House
Ca 1775
Central-chimney timber frame
C
351
42-88

Ca 1895; ca 1950
Colonial Revival; contemporary addition
MC
42-123
Dodge-Cutting House
Ca 1800
Federalist
C
42-124
Griffith Home for Aged Men
1896
Colonial Revival
C
22-24
24-76

Pre 1900
astylistic
MC
26-28
24-75

Ca 1970
Contemporary
INT
32
24-74

Ca 1890
Queen Anne
C
34
24-73A

Ca 1800
Federalist
C
36
24-73

Ca 1800
Federalist
C
38
24-72

Ca 1845
Greek Revival
C
----------------------
-----------------------
B & M RR – Nbpt.
City RR -----------
----------------------
-----------------------
24-71
Hale-Dewint House
Ca 1870
Second Empire cottage
C
42
21-80

Ca 1870
Italianate
C
44
21-79

Ca 1850
Greek Revival/Italianate
C
46
21-78

Ca 1800
Federalist
C
48
21-57

Ca 1855
Sidehall Italianate
C
21-56
Moore-Lunt Double House
Ca 1860
Italianate
C
21-55
Moore-Lunt Double House
Ca 1860
Italianate
C
21-39
Capt. William Graves House
Ca 1850
Greek Revival
C
58
21-38

Ca 1750-1800
Timber frame gambrel
C
21-37
Mrs. Henry Titcomb House
Ca 1845
Greek Revival
C
66
18-5

Ca 1860
Italianate
C
18-4
Swett-Storey House & Carriage
1800
Federalist
C
70
18-3

Ca 1900
Queen Anne/Colonial Revival
C
72
18-2

Ca 1870
Italianate
C
74
18-1

Ca 1895
Queen Anne
C
76
18-80

Ca 1895
Queen Anne
C
15-17
Davenport-Greeley House & Carriage House
1808
Federalist
C
80
15-16

Ca 1870
Italianate; Second Empire/House & Carriage House
C
82
15-15

Ca 1870
Italianate
C
84-86
15-14

Ca 1875
Italianate/Victorian Gothic
C
15-3
William Hervey House
Ca 1865
Second Empire
C
90
15-2

Ca 1800
Federalist
C




C
15-1
Nelson-Wheelwright House
 1801
Federalist
C
14-52
Cushing House
1808
Federalist
C
100
14-51

Ca 1900
Queen Anne
C
14-50
Tenny-Noyes Double House
1807
Federalist
C
14-49
Tenny-Noyes Double House
1807
Federalist
C
106-108
14-48

Ca 1850
Greek Revival
C
14-47
Pope-Moseley House
Ca 1855; 1895
Early Victorian; Colonial Revival
C
14-46
Pope-Moseley House
Ca 1855; 1895
Early Victorian; Colonial Revival
C
13-26
John Buntin House
Ca 1870
Italianate/Second Empire
C
116-118
13-25
Charles Coffin Row House
Ca 1845-1850
Greek Revival
C
13-24
Charles Coffin Row House
Ca 1845-1850
Greek Revival
C
13-23
Sewall Place
Ca 1814; ca 1890
Federalist; Federalist Revival
C
126
13-22

Ca 1845
Greek Revival/Double House
C
128
13-21

Ca 1845
Greek Revival/Double House
C
130
13-20

Ca 1845
Sidehall Greek Revival
C
132
13-19

Ca 1855; ca 1895
Italianate; Queen Anne
C
134-136
13-18

Ca 1845; 1910
Astylistic
C
138-140
13-17

Ca 1845; 1920
Astylistic
MC
46-1
Convent-Church of the Immac. Conception
Ca 1940
Colonial Revival
INT





46-6
Richard Brown House
1842
Greek Revival
C
46-7
Adams-Toppan House
1808
Federalist
C
152
46-43

Ca 1870
Italianate
C
154
46-42

Ca 1875
Italianate
C
46-41

Ca 1855
Italianate/Row House
C
46-40

Ca 1855
Italianate/Row House
C
46-39

Ca 1855
Italianate/Row House
C
46-38

Ca 1855
Italianate/Row House
C
164
46-37
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church & Chapel
1922
1863
Colonial Revival; Victorian Gothic
C
---------------------
-----------------------
-- U.S. Route 1 ---
-----------------------
-----------------------
-----------------------
49-81
Pettingill-Fowler House
1792
Late Georgian
C
---------------------
-----------------------
-- Boston & Maine
Railroad -----------
-----------------------
-----------------------
49-80
Wood-Moseley-Nason House
1792
Federalist
C
184
49-79

Ca 1950
Colonial Revival
INT
49-78
Rand-Fleming Double House
Ca 1790; ca 1840
Federalist; Greek Revival Alter.
C
49-77
Rand-Fleming Double House
Ca 1790; ca 1840
Federalist; Greek Revival Alter.
C
49-76
Morse-Learned House & Carriage
Ca 1800-1803; ca 1890
Federalist; late Victorian
C
192
49-75

Ca 1800-1830
Timber frame vernacular
C
194
49-74

Ca 1890
Queen Anne
C
196-198
49-16

Pre 1825
Timber frame vernacular
C
200
49-15

Ca 1870
Italianate/Double House
C
202
49-14

Ca 1870
Italianate/Double House
C
204
49-13

Ca 1870
Italianate
C
206-208
49-12

Ca 1850-1860
Greek Revival/Italianate
C
210
51-18

Ca 1845
Greek Revival
C
51-17
Nathaniel Horton House & Carriage
Ca 1870
Second Empire
C
216
51-16

Ca 1790
Twin-chimney gambrel/late Georgian
C
51-15
Buck-Withington House & Carriage
1797
Federalist
C
220
51-14

Ca 1895
Queen Anne
C
222
51-13

Ca 1875
Sidehall Italianate
C
224
51-12

Ca 1850-1870
Italianate/Double Cottage
C
226
51-11

Ca 1850-1870
Italianate/Double Cottage
C
230
51-10

Ca 1890
Queen Anne/House & Carriage House
C
232
51-9

Ca 1845
Sidehall Greek Revival
C
234
51-8

Ca 1845
Sidehall Greek Revival
C
53-74
53-73
Toppan-Whitney House
1807
Federalist
C
53-72
Swain-Bogardus House
1800
Federalist
C
240-242
53-71

Ca 1800; ca 1840
Federalist; Greek Revival
C
244
53-70

Ca 1845
Greek Revival/House & Carriage House
C
246
53-69

Ca 1925-1935
Arts & Crafts
MC
248
53-68

Ca 1960
Contemporary
INT
252
53-67

Ca 1845
Greek/Gothic Revival-sidehall cottage/House & Carriage House
C
254
53-66

Ca 1860
Italianate
C
256
53-17

Ca 1970
Colonial Revival
INT
258
53-16

Ca 1950
Colonial Revival
INT
56-37
Cartland-Whittier-Fitzgerald House
Ca 1800
Federalist
C
262
56-36
Thomas Coker House
Ca 1795
Late Georgian
C
264
56-35

Ca 1775-1800
Late Georgian
C
56-34A

Ca 1775-1800
Late Georgian
C
56-33
Pike-Parton House
Ca 1870
Italianate
C
59-71
Emery-Parton House
1796
Federalist
C
276
59-70

Ca 1850
Greek Revival/House & Carriage House
C
278
59-69

Ca 1960
Colonial Revival
INT
280
59-68

Ca 1895
Queen Anne
C
282-284
59-67

Ca 1810; 1900
Federalist; alterations
C
286
59-66
First Church of Christ Scientist
Ca 1940-1945
Colonial Revival
INT
294
62-48

Ca 1890
Queen Anne
C
296
62-47

Ca 1900
Colonial Revival
C
298
62-46

Ca 1930
Colonial Revival
C
62-45
Belleville Cong. Church Belleville Vestry
1867; ca 1867; ca 1930
Italianate; Greek Revival; alterations
C
304
62-44

Ca 1870
Sidehall Italianate
C
308
62-43

Ca 1870
Sidehall Italianate
C
310
62-42

Ca 1870
Italianate
C
312
62-41

Ca 1860
Italianate
C
314
62-40

Ca 1850
Sidehall Greek Revival/Italianate
C
316
66-7

Ca 1775
Central-chimney half house
C
320
66-6

Ca 1810; ca 1900
Federalist; Colonial Revival
C
322
66-5

Ca 1860
Sidehall Victorian cottage
C
324
66-4

Ca 1810
Federalist/Double House
C
326
66-3

Ca 1810
Federalist/Double House
C
328
66-2

Ca 1870
Sidehall Italianate
C
66-1
J. T. Rowe Shoe Building
Ca 1860
Astylistic Victorian
C
334
66-36

Ca 1870; ca 1960
Sidehall Italianate; Colonial Revival
MC
336
68-129
Gas station
Ca 1950
Contemporary
INT
340-344
68-128

Ca 1925
Colonial Revival
MC
346
68-127

Ca 1775
End chimney gambrel
C
68-126
Hale-Kinsman House
1800
Federalist
C
68-125
Josiah Little House
Ca 1780
Late Georgian
C
68-124
Orlando Merrill House & Stable
1791
Central-chimney timber frame
C
68-123
Little-Potter House & Barn
Ca 1790
Late Georgian
C
364
68-96

Ca 1875
Sidehall Italianate
C
366
68-94
68-95

Ca 1775
Timber frame vernacular
C
368
68-93

Ca 1860-1870
Italianate
C
372
68-92

Ca 1860
Greek Revival/Italianate
C
376
68-74

Ca 1800; ca 1850
Federalist; Italianate
C
384
68-73

Ca 1920
Arts & Crafts/Colonial Revival
C
386
69-89

Ca 1775-1800
End chimney gambrel
C
390
69-28
Atkinson Common
Donated 1873; laid out 1893-1896

C

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Ed,

Enjoyed your last Blog on Castles. The English common law evolved in a largely rural environment, in which one person's "Castle" was relatively remote from the "Castles" of neighbors. Nonetheless, as far back as the 13th century A.D. it was recognized that the owner of an "estate" in land had obligations not to harm the "estate" of others. With urbanization, and suburbanization in the United States, local zoning plus state and national building codes evolved to balance rights and duties. Local historic districts create a distinct but related process, if approved in specific communities: local community volunteers work with property owners, implementing community-approved guidelines to balance liberties to use one's own property as one wishes with community benefits from shared architectural and historical heritages.

Two classic commentaries indicate a longstanding commitment that property "rights" cannot be considered in isolation from concurrent property "duties" to minimize harm to the property of neighbors:

Henry of Bracton, in 13th century England: "No one may do in his own estate any thing whereby damage or nuisance may happen to his neighbor."

William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (1753): "... If one does any other act, in itself lawful, which yet being done in that place necessarily tends to the damage of another's property, it is a nuisance: for it is incumbent on him to find some other place to do that act, where it will be less offensive..."


Bill Harris