Jump to content

Townsend House (Needham, Massachusetts)

Coordinates: 42°17′28″N 71°14′58″W / 42.29111°N 71.24944°W / 42.29111; -71.24944
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Townsend House
Townsend House (Needham, Massachusetts) is located in Massachusetts
Townsend House (Needham, Massachusetts)
Townsend House (Needham, Massachusetts) is located in the United States
Townsend House (Needham, Massachusetts)
Location980 Central Ave., Needham, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°17′28″N 71°14′58″W / 42.29111°N 71.24944°W / 42.29111; -71.24944
Area1.1 acres (0.45 ha)
Built1720 (1720)
Built byGregory Sugars
NRHP reference No.82004420[1]
Added to NRHPApril 1, 1982

The Townsend House is a historic late First Period house in Needham, Massachusetts, United States. The 2+12-story wood-frame house was built in 1720 by Gregory Sugars, a sea captain, for his son-in-law, Rev. Jonathan Townsend. The building has retained little external appearance as an early 18th century house, showing the adaptive reuse and restyling of older houses. It was given a Federal appearance in the 1780s by its second owner, Rev. Samuel West, and was, under his ownership, used as a muster site for the local militia prior to the 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord. The building has been much modified over the years (including the addition of a mansard-like roof), but many of its older interior rooms have retained features from the 18th century.[2]

The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[1]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ "NRHP nomination for Townsend House". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-03-03.