Dedham Spring House Tour this Weekend

One of the many lovely historical
houses in Dedham, MA

Do you love looking at other New England historic homes as much as your own? This weekend you have the chance.

The Dedham Historical Society is sponsoring the Dedham Spring House Tour this Sunday, May 20, 2012 from 1-4pm.

The tour will feature four homes in Franklin Square, a historic church, and a recently renovated rectory. The tour also includes the Fairbanks House which has the great distinction of being the oldest timber frame house in the United States.

Tickets are $20 for Dedham Historical Society members, $23 for non-members and $25 for everyone on the day of the event. Look for more information on the Dedham Historical Society website.

Historic Washington Street, Holliston

I can't say for sure that Holliston has the most historic homes of any town in Massachusetts but it sure ranks pretty close to the top. Holliston has uniquely preserved most of the historic homes that line its main thoroughfare, Washington Street, in a time when most towns demolish or relocate downtown historical buildings. You can start in west Holliston and drive east the whole way along Washington Street and see historic homes nearly the entire time.  The odd split-level or ranch looks out of place amongst the graceful detail and character of older homes. Take a virtual tour to enjoy its historic homes and plan for the day when you can see them in person.

The homes in this virtual represent only a mile or so of Washington Street west of downtown.  The homes in the center of town and to the east will have to be represented in a later post. Click each photo to view a larger image.

Historic Houses in Hopkinton - By the Numbers

Greek Revival Home in Hopkinton, MA

Ever wonder just how many antique homes there are in Hopkinton, Massachusetts?

Here's a look by the numbers:

Single Family Homes
1900 - 1930: 179
1850-1899: 235
1800 - 1849: 99
1750 - 1799: 21
1700 - 1749: 9
Before 1700: 0

The oldest house in Hopkinton was built in 1702 according to public record. It is located at 54 Frankland Road.  In second place is 21 East Main Street which was built in 1715. And in third place is 43 Elm Street which was built in 1720.

Multi-Family Homes
1900 - 1930: 27
1850-1899: 39
1800 - 1849: 6
1750 - 1799: 1
1700 - 1749: 1
Before 1700: 0

Please note: This information is taken from public record. Public record dates are often at variance with year built dates on record with local or state historical commissions.

Featured Historic Home: 44 North Street, Grafton, MA

44 North Street, Grafton, Massachusetts

This grand historic home with Doric columns is a high style Greek Revival. The George Clapp House, circa 1835 is magnificent!! Updated mechanical systems and well integrated modern conveniences offer a blend of old world qualities and elegant living spaces. The layout includes a complete kitchen remodel with granite counter-tops, stainless steel appliances, cabinets galore, center island and a walk-in pantry. Amenities include twin parlors, 2 master suites, heated in-ground pool and attached two-story barn. 

 

44 North Street
Grafton, Massachusetts 01519
Year Built: 1831
List Price: $649,000
Click Here for more information about this property or contact the listing agent.

Listing Agents:
Rhonda Heyman and Linda Mossman
Prudential Page Realty
82 Holliston Street Medway, MA 02053

(508) 533-5122 Office
(508) 413-5567 Mobile
(508) 533-2781 Fax

Defining the Details: Suffolk Latches

Suffolk latch with no
thumb piece and
modern screws
Sturbridge Village, MA

One of the things that makes historic homes so magical is the unique yet often subtle detail found throughout. Take for example, a door handle. In a modern home it may go unnoticed. In an historic home it heralds to a previous century when objects were handmade.

One type of door hardware found in historic homes is the Suffolk latch. Suffolk latches were a type of door hardware commonly used in 17th and 18th century New England homes. The name comes from their origination in Suffolk, England but came to be more broadly used as the generic name for the latch.

17th Century Meetinghouse,
Simsbury Historical Society, Simsbury, CT

A Suffolk latch typically consisted of an upper and lower cusp that were often symmetrical and of a triangular or heart shape. The were joined by the handle grasp. The upper cusp had a hole for the thumb piece to fit through.

Variations include a single cusp version with the cusp on the top and a dominant cusp version, again on top, where the dominant and lesser cusps are not symmetrical.

The door handles were made from wrought iron by blacksmiths. Many early Suffolk latches were imported to the colonies from England. Later they were made by local blacksmiths.

In his book A Building History of Northern New England, James L. Garvin says that the more elaborate and unusual a Suffolk latch was the more likely it was to be locally made.

Suffolk latches started to fade in popularity in the early 1800s as the new Norfolk latch style took over. When exploring for Suffolk latches in your home be sure to check for signs that the latch was hand wrought and not a later reproduction.

Painted over Suffolk latch,
West Simsbury, CT

Suffolk Latch,
Peak House, Medfield, MA

Sources:

Cummings, Abbott Lowell. The Framed Houses of Massachusetts Bay, 1625-1725. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University, 1979.

Garvin, James L. A Building History of Northern New England. Hanover: University of New England Press, 2001.

Howard, Hugh. How Old is This House? New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1989.

Howell, Rlene L. "Craftsmanship in Wrought Iron," The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, New Series, Vol. 9, No. 3 (Nov. 1950), pp 83-86.

Historic Home Open Houses - Sunday, May 13, 2012

Open Houses for Historic Homes in Metrowest Boston
Sunday, May 13, 2012

There are far fewer open houses today due to the celebration of Mother's Day.

Medway

25 North Street Medway, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1870 May 13
List Price: $274,900
OPEN: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Needham

44 Lincoln Street, Needham, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1910
List Price: $469,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM

67 Linden Street, Needham, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1914
List Price: $699,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

Wellesley

241 Walnut Street, Wellesley, MA
7 room, 4 bedroom Victorian
Year Built: 1889
List Price: $490,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM

35 Boulevard Road, Wellesley, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Bungalow
Year Built: 1910
List Price: $480,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

12 Longfellow Road, Wellesley, MA
9 room, 4 bedroom Antique
Year Built: 1910
List Price: $1,299,000
OPEN: 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Wrentham

215 West Street, Wrentham, MA
6 room, 3 bedroom Garrison
Year Built: 1910
List Price: $335,000
OPEN:  12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Please Note: Year built date is taken from MLS which is based on public record.

Historic Home Open Houses - Sunday, May 6, 2012

Open Houses for Historic Homes in Metrowest Boston
Sunday, May 6, 2012

Bellingham

1211 Pulaski Boulevard, Bellingham, MA
4 room, 2 bedroom Cape
Year Built: 1820
List Price: $200,000
OPEN: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Canton

68 Pond Street, Canton, MA
6 room, 2 bedh, 2f 0h bathroom Colonial
Year Built: 1740 May 6
List Price: $350,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

25 Beaumont Street, Canton, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1830
List Price: $299,900
OPEN: 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

592 R Washington Street, Canton, MA
8 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1880
List Price: $265,000
OPEN: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

30 Rockland Street, Canton,
4 room, 2 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1900
List Price: $249,900
OPEN:  12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

515 Randolph Street, Canton, MA
8 room, 4 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1900
List Price: $389,000
OPEN: 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM

Dartmouth

1279 Reed Road, Dartmouth, MA
6 room, 3 bedroom Cape
Year Built:
List Price: $389,000
OPEN: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM $438,900

16 Middle Street, Dartmouth, MA 
8 room, 4 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1917
List Price: $539,000
OPEN: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Dedham

181 Village Avenue, Dedham, MA
10 room, 4 bed, 3f 1h bathroom Colonial
Year Built: 1770
List Price: $975,000
OPEN: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

848 High Street, Dedham, MA
11 room, 5 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1830
List Price: $1,150,000
OPEN: 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM

70 Haven Street, Dedham, MA
12 room, 4 bedroom Antique
Year Built: 1830
List Price: $899,000
OPEN: 12:00 PM to 1:45 PM

176 Court Street, Dedham, MA
10 room, 4 bedroom Greek Revival
Year Built: 1864
List Price: $849,000
OPEN:  2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

154 Jefferson Street, Dedham, MA
8 room, 4 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1870
List Price: $849,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM $359,900

697 Washington Street, Dedham, MA
6 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1870
List Price: $269,000
OPEN: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM 

1041 High Street, Dedham, MA
9 room, 4 bedroom  Colonial
Year Built: 1900
List Price: $569,000
OPEN:  1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

88 Abbott Road, Dedham, MA
12 room, 5 bedroom Victorian
Year Built: 1856
List Price: $659,900
OPEN: 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

188 Walnut Street, Dedham, MA
11 room, 6 bedroom Victorian
Year Built: 1893
List Price: $939,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

80 Dartmouth Avenue, Dedham, MA : Endicott
9 room, 4 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1908
List Price: $469,900
OPEN: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Foxboro

196 Chestnut Street, Foxboro, MA
6 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1917
List Price: $388,900
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Franklin

72 Alpine Place, Franklin, MA
7 room, 4 bedroom Antique
Year Built: 1865
List Price: $149,900
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

75 Marvin Avenue, Franklin, MA
8 room, 3 bedroom Bungalow
Year Built: 1915
List Price: $295,000
OPEN:  12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

Holliston

40 Union St, Holliston, MA
6 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1861
List Price: $345,000
OPEN: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

19 High Street, Holliston, MA
10 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1900
List Price: $427,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

121 Mechanic Street, Holliston, MA
5 room, 2 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1910
List Price: $242,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

129 Mechanic Street, Holliston, MA
6 room, 2 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1910
List Price: $247,000
OPEN:  1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

Medfield

190 North Street, Medfield, MA
14 room, 6 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1690
List Price: $1,199,000
OPEN:  1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

19 Wight Street, Medfield, MA
12 room, 8 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1760
List Price: $1,550,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

Medway

10 Milford Street, Medway, MA
5 room, 2 bedroom Antique
Year Built: 1830
List Price: $234,900
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

Millis

148 Orchard Street, Millis, MA
14 room, 6 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1780
List Price: $234,900
OPEN:  2:00 PM to 4:00 PM $699,000

25 Parnell Street, Millis, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Cape
Year Built: 1900
List Price: $325,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Needham

94 Beaufort Avenue Needham, MA
11 room, 4 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1755
List Price: $1,345,000
OPEN:  1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

744 Greendale Avenue, Needham, MA
9 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1901
List Price: $697,000
OPEN:12:00 PM to 1:30 PM 

44 Lincoln Street, Needham, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1910
List Price: $469,000
OPEN:  1:00 PM to 2:00 PM 

785 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA
9 room, 6 bedroom Victorian
Year Built: 1907
List Price: $699,000
OPEN:  1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

Norfolk

63 Union Norfolk, MA
9 room, 4 bedroom Antique
Year Built: 1900
List Price: $699,000
OPEN: 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM $300,000

57 North Street, Norfolk, MA
10 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1900
List Price: $374,900
OPEN:  12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Norwood

407 Prospect Street, Norwood, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1900
List Price: $379,000
OPEN: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Sherborn

100 South Main Street, Sherborn, MA
11 room, 5 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1690
List Price: $1,399,000
OPEN:  2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Wellesley

9 Columbia ,Wellesley, MA
8 room, 4 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1850
List Price: $649,000
OPEN: 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM

82 Washington Street,  Wellesley, MA
12 room, 6 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1861
List Price: $990,000
OPEN:  12:00 PM to 1:30 PM 

61 Curve Street, Wellesley, MA
8 room, 3 bedroom Victorian
Year Built: 1880
List Price: $699,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

239 Walnut Street, Wellesley, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Victorian
Year Built: 1889
List Price: $499,000
OPEN:  12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

241 Walnut Street, Wellesley, MA
7 room, 4 bedroom Victorian
Year Built: 1889
List Price: $490,000
OPEN: 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM

33 Hunnewell Street, Wellesley, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1898
List Price: $579,000
OPEN: 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM

11 Bird Hill Avenue, Wellesley, MA
10 room, 5 bedroom Victorian
Year Built: 1900
List Price: $1,249,990
OPEN: 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM

21 Seaver Street, Wellesley, MA
9 room, 4 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1900
List Price: $895,000
OPEN: 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM 

59 Russell Road, Wellesley, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Antique
Year Built: 1914
List Price: $609,000
OPEN: 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM 


12 Longfellow Road, Wellesley, MA
9 room, 4 bedroom Antique
Year Built: 1910
List Price: $1,299,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Westwood

37 Thatcher Street,  Westwood, MA
13 room, 5 bed, 4f 2h bathroom Colonial
Year Built: 1906
List Price: $3,499,000
OPEN: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

18 Oak Street, Westwood, MA
7 room, 3 bedroom Colonial
Year Built: 1910
List Price: $409,900
OPEN: 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

Please Note: Year built date is taken from MLS which is based on public record.