Brown House (Hamilton, Massachusetts)

Brown House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Brown House at 76 Bridge Street
Location	Hamilton, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°36′58″N 70°51′6″W / 42.61611°N 70.85167°WCoordinates: 42°36′58″N 70°51′6″W / 42.61611°N 70.85167°W
Architect	Unknown
Architectural style	Colonial, Other
MPS	First Period Buildings of Eastern Massachusetts TR
NRHP Reference #	90000223 [1]
Added to NRHP	March 9, 1990

The Brown House is a historic First Period house at 76 Bridge Street in Hamilton, Massachusetts. Like most early colonial houses this 2.5 story wood frame house was built in stages. The oldest portion, the central chimney and the rooms to its right, are estimated to have been built between 1662 and 1673, based in part on the use of roof constructions methods derived from East Anglian practices that fell out of favor after that time. The left side rooms were built later in the 17th century, using different roof construction techniques, as was a leanto section extending across the width of the house. The leanto was demolished in the early 20th century, but preservationist William Sumner Appleton was able to acquire some architectural elements for the collections of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (now Historic New England).^[2]

The house was built either by John Brown Sr., who acquired the land in 1662, or his son Nathaniel, who was the next owner. It underwent a major restoration in 1920, which included adding a staircase replicating that of the Parson Capen House.^[2] The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.^[1]

See also

• Austin Brown House, another First Period house in Hamilton
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Essex County, Massachusetts

References

1. Staff (2008-04-15). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
2. "NRHP nomination for Brown House". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-01-15.