Commonwealth of Massachusetts Massachusetts Historical Commission 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts

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1 Inventory No: Historic Name: HRV.77 Houghton, Ralph House Common Name: Address: 204 West Bare Hill Rd City/Town: Harvard Village/Neighborhood: Local No: 25-37; 58 Year Constructed: C 1685 Architect(s): Architectural Style(s): Use(s): Significance: Colonial Agricultural; Multiple Family Dwelling House; Single Family Dwelling House Agriculture; Architecture; Exploration Settlement Area(s): Designation(s): 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 ( 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 ( under the subject heading "MHC Forms." Commonwealth of Massachusetts Massachusetts Historical Commission 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts This file was accessed on: Saturday, February 09, 2013 at 12:20 AM

2 FORM B - BUILDING assessor's # Massachusetts Historical Commission 80 Boylston Street Boston MA usgs quad Ayer Town Place area Outlying form # 77 Harvard Outlying Address 2 04 West Bare Hill R Historic Name: Ralph Houghton House Use Present farm Original farm Date of construction: 17th cent reverse colonial central chimney Architect N/A hi A Sketch Map - i Exterior Wall/Trim Roof Foundation Material: asphalt wood stone Outbuildings barns plus See rear of form for more detailed description Alterations shed wing See rear of form for more detailed description. Condition good Recorded by: Claire W. Dempsey Organization: Harvard Historical Commission Date: May 1993 V ED Moved no Acreage 4.35 acres Setting rural See rear of form for detailed description JUL c ASS. Hi ST. COMM.

3 BUILDING FORM ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION The Ralph Houghton House is Harvard's oldest extant structure, dating to The farm's 4.35 acres line S t i l l River Road, the property is bisected by West Bare Hill Road (which runs on an east/west axis). The farmhouse is located on the north side of West Bare Hill, while the barn and various out buildings stand on the opposite side of this road. The two-story clapboarded house fronts onto a broad lawn, the side and rear agricultural fields currently lie fallow. This center chimney house represents a transitionary phase between Post-Medieval and Georgian architectural forms. As is characteristic of late-17th century frame structures, the hall and parlor plan was augmented by an integrated lean-to which housed a rear kitchen, buttery, and small chamber. The building measures five bays in width and two piles in depth. While exhibiting greater symmetry than an early residence, this fenestration does not yet adhere to the standard proportions of Georgian architecture. The chimney and entry are slightly off-center. Later additions include a single-story shed roofed ell (which extends from the left lateral wall) and a pedimented entry porch. Window treatment consists of six over six sash in the main house, and eight over twelve sash in the e l l. The farm's two-story New England barn has clapboard siding on its gable front and vertical siding along its lateral wall. A single-story gabled ell with carriage bays projects from the barn's left lateral wall. A cinderblock garage stands to the west of the barn, its overhead door is located in a canted corner. The garage also takes a gable block form and is l i t with industrial sash windows. This east/west progression of outbuildings culminates with a late 19th century shingle-sided carriage house with large sliding doors. HISTORICAL NARRATIVE This late-17th century structure was constructed by either James Houghton or his father Ralph. This section of Harvard was one of the town's earliest areas of English settlement. According to Nourse, this house served as a garrison. The property passed to James' third son, Thomas and his wife Mariah Moore. Thomas' namesake inherited the property and passed i t in the early 19th century to his son Cyrus. Cyrus served as a commissioned officer, rising from ensign in 1797 to lieutenant in He married Sarah Gates on April 4, The property remained in Cyrus' name until the 1870s. I t passed to his son, Edward Warren Houghton, in the late 19th century. REFERENCES Anderson, Directions of a Town, Nourse, History of Harvard, Essays on Common Area by Sawyer (1954U> ajjd Hersey (193 6). Notes of Scourgie, HHS. Holman Map of 1831, Beers Atlas of 1870, Richardson Atlas of _x_ Recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. See NR Criteria Statement form.

4 Massachusetts Historical Commission 80 Boylston Street Boston, Massachusetts Community Harvard Area Property Address 204 West Bare Hill Road Form# 77 National Register of Historic Places Critria Statement Form Check all that apply: X Individually eligible. Contributing to a potential district. Eligible only in a historic district. Potential historic district. Criteria: X A B X C D Criteria Considerations: B D G Statement of Significance by Claire W. Dempsey. The Ralph Houghton House is believed to be the oldest house in Harvard, Massachusetts. Dating to the last years of the 17th century, it is located near the village of Still River, in the portion of the town that was first settled. The house is an example of a first period house that has been expanded over the years, and retains a significant surrounding of farm acreage, occupied by the same family for generations. The Houghton House meets criteria A and C at the local level. It retains integrity of location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association.

5 FORM B - BUILDING AREA FORM NO. AT MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION.80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA WEST BARE HILL ROAD c Name RALPH HOUGHTON GARRISON esent HOME riginal HOME ION FARM HOUSE CIRCA 1680 x Sketch Map: Draw nap showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection(s). Indicate north Exterior Wall Fabric CLAPBOARD Outbuildings BARN Major Alterations (with dates) ORIGINALLY SINGLE FAMILY-ADDED ON TO MAKE 2 FAMILY.DATE? Condition GOOD Moved Bate Acreage 4.8 ON HOUSE SIDE OF STREET.OVERALL APPROX. 70 ACRES Setting RURAL DTM REFERENCE - Recorded by USGS QUADRANGLE Organization iuu ibices). \&^ H\\X,.MA- SCALE ( _ jp**i3f J 1

6 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. House is one of the two oldest houses in Harvard. Never been determined which one is the oldest. Large stone foundation with arches in cellar, 16-flue chimney, smoke closet, wide floor boards, wide beams exposed in ceilings. Some holes s t i l l showing in shed portion where they were used to shoot at Indians. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. j Ralph Houghton was one of the earliest settlers in the area, when Harvard was s t i l l ^ part of the town of Lancaster. It is our understand±ng(morrill G. Sprague family, present owners) that the original part of the house was built by Ralph Houghton and then added onto to make a two family house. The house was passed from the Houghton family on to Mrs. John F. Sprague ( Mabel Goding) the mother of the present owner. It was her understanding that the original portion of the house was started between 1660 and ) ), BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Enclosed, please find copy of pages from the Harvard History by Henry S. Nour

7 HISTORY OF HARVARD. OLD The successive occupants of this interesting homester have been: I, the builder of the garrison, James Houghtrat the son of Ralph and Jane. His will was proved Septembc I I, , Thomas Houghton, the third son of James, wk married Mariah Moore, December 2, 1725, had one son, Elijah, and died at the age of sixty-eight, April io, Hiswtdow survived him over twenty-six years. 3, Elijah, married Mercy Whitney and had eleven children, the oldest, Thomas coming into possession of the house. 4, Thomas, by his wife Betsy White, had thirteen children, of whom (5) Cephas retained the homestead, and his son is the present owner. The next home eastward, now owned by John Sprague, waj that of Elijah Houghton, Jr., sold to Abraham Lawrence is A. T : -1 =' Five or six years before the birth of Harvard, Stephet and Abigail Houghton set up their roof-tree beside the highway opposite.where Benjamin K. Barnard now lives. In 1743 Benjamin Barnard bought Houghton's house and lands, and his descendants have ever since occupied the place. The present dwelling is the third built here.the guests at the first Harvard ordination in 1733 were entertained at the house of Joseph Willard, son of the first Henry. This dwelling stands in excellent preservation, ia North Still River, at the junction of the Groton and Harvard roads, being now the home of Reverend John B. Willard and his sisters. They are direct descendants of the first owner. The roof at the rear originally sloped to a single story, and other alterations have given the house a somewhat modern appearance. In making these changes it was found that the outer walls were lined with brick laid in clay; and upon beams and joist were several memoranda dated between 1730 and 1740, and one or more dates of the previous century. The south-west room was known as the "dower room," being fitted for the residence of the dowager with a special stairway to cellar, and oven and closet conveniences. This feature was quite usual in old country houses. The mansion, if a new one when Joseph and Elizabeth Willard began housekeeping, was built about 1712; but there is some reason to believe that it dates from about 1730, though very probably a. H 3 C It I in part a reconstruction froi site, of an older edifice. Beside the highway abon Harvard Centre, on a hill-! there stood, until 1881, a moved by Absalom B. Gal is his present home. The 1 stands at the eastern end o tion which was but one stor ished were bricks in whicl but these give no clue tc dates from 1744, when jert He sold to John Willard ir inn here, having bought t! has had many owners sinci A somewhat older build exterior of the residence n 1743, Benjamin Nurse tran cmiah Foster, of Ipswich, twonty acres here; and in t Foster took the eastern ha buildings. Richard Harri seaside to the hills of W from becoming sailors. H in 1776, and his heirs near and lands to Oliver Hill, from Reading, and bought poration of Harvard, from Wilder of Lancaster. He A large house at the sc mon, one of the most we; yard, was reconstructed t Herbert 13. Royal now live of John Seccomb's minist and Phebe Atherton. He He died in 1755, a who married his daughter hurst, a tanner from Peppi the Atherton heirs, and in

8 RD. HOUGHTON GARRISON HOUSE. 87 sding their 'negro, Neptune." The farm was soon after ile gathering walnut*? archased by Samuel Haskell, whose widow sold it to Joseph and so paralyzed his Atherton. Samuel Dudley, in 1797, bought the estate of the ere ever, after totally; Atherton heirs and built the house now owned by Mrs. Jona: waist, his will-power -; than \V. Lawrence. The ancient dwelling occupied by hands retained their Thomas Atherton Bigelow was probably the house of Joseph i practiced the art of Hutchins, and if so, is nearly two hundred years old. d pulleys attached to No pioneer's home now standing in the town offers more imself within certain fel interest to the antiquary than the James Houghton garrifall over twenty-five; son house, which has been handed down from father to son of seventy-four, through five^generations, with only those alterations and uring the Revolution,; _ additions which the comfort and accommodation of successome time quartered B j r f n r c families made imperative. No homestead in Harvard lajor Simon Willard's T»feasremained thus permanently in the same family. The h was called ye Great R,. capacious farm-house, lovingly cared for by the present suner, Edward Warren Houghton, is obviously the sum of n of Joshua, married st least three structures, all ancient; the western end being jers, in 1720, and Tethe original garrison house, built between 1692 and as "where I the said Shefirstchimney was of stone, the huge foundation of which bounded west on the }t% fills half the cellar. This was very early replaced by the cellar where the old jwesent many-flued brick pile, with its eight fire-places, oven, aving sons Oliver and,caphoard niches, and a smoke closet in which there is room Hannah and Patience, enough to hang for curing the hams and shoulders of a score as one hundred and: of swine. Many of the little windows, though the sash are the river, and havingi modern, remain at nearly double the height from the floor house called I loults." liich is now thought convenient, and the walls below and elm, on the brow of i around them are filled in solidly with brick and stone, so as n, and now the home to he completely bullet-proof. The huge oaken beams and ably covers the site c! plates, from twelve to fourteen inches square, show for a r of the other, a short third of their thickness below the lath and plaster of the y road, was filled up eoiing. It became necessary to remove the paneled wainsoliver Atherton kept cot during some renovations. It was unpainted of the softs. est pine in which neither knot nor shake nor sap could be found, illard and Joshua Atofastened with wooden pins and faultless in workmanship. It ll (Wilder) Hutchins, *as doubtless the handiwork of the owner and builder of the ljamin, son of Major h<misc, who was a carpenter, and the portions of it preserved imost portion of the *fford evidence of his practiced skill. Wherever iron was Elizabeth died withits Med in any part of the construction, even in fastening the ldless, for they willed Jived clapboards, it was the wrought work of the blacksmith. ;hua Church, even in- I

9 Original yellow form: Eligibility file c o p l e s : Inventory form v, Town file(w/corresp.) Macris '. r f] NR director Community: ]\0uf\ja/)dl " MHC OPINION: ELIGIBILITY FOR NATIONAL REGISTER Date Received: Date Due: Date Reviewed: Type: Individual District (Attach map indicating boundaries) Name: Vni^A ^^Ug^M 4fW<*t Inventory Form: Address: Requested by: awf MM 'BOM tkll /2c«(y! Action: Agency: Honor ITC Grant R & C Other: Staff in charge of Review: INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES DISTRICTS V Eligible Eligible, also in district Eligible only in district Ineligible More information needed Eligible Ineligible More information needed CRITERIA: A B C LEVEL: Local State National STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE by 10/86

10 Community: L MHC OPINION: ELIGIBILITY FOR NATIONAL REGISTER Date Received: 3//y /&? Date Due: Date Reviewed: Type: "j_> ^na^iduaty District (Attach map indicating boundaries) Name: Urtcpn HotXih& V fjoose./grfiirtsoaj MovSC Inventory Form: Address: ^D *7 UJCST 73#7 e /^cc Lotrp I 573 / Requested by:?rrtr K ifl~ J M ^ ^ Action: Honor ITC Grant R & C Other. Agency: Staff in charge of Review: INDP/IDDAL PROPERTIES Eligible Eligible, also in district Eligible only in district Ineligible y' More information needed DISTRICTS Eligible Ineligible More information needed CRITERIA: LEVEL: A Local STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE by ft i f 10/86

11 Houghton House 204 West Bare Hill Road Private Elijah Houghton ( ). The large farmhouse is the sum of at least three structures, all very old. The western end is the original garrison house built between 1692 and Elijah Houghton is buried in Harvard Center Cemetery, as is his wife, Mercy. Houghton is among those listed in "Massachusetts Soldiers nd Sailors in the War of the Revolution". This list includes the service records of participants. Some records are quite complicated, showing patriots' willingness to serve in many capacities as Houghton's does: he marched on April 19, 1775, to Cambridge and served 13 and a half days; from then on, he signed up for various duties on and off throughout the war until 1780.