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FORM B BUILDING
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD
BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Photograph
Locus Map
N
Recorded by: Eric Dray, Preservation Consultant, for
Organization: Brewster Historical Commission
Date (month / year): November, 2017
Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number
78-92 Dennis A,G,I BRE.191
Town/City: BREWSTER
Place:(neighborhood or village): East Brewster
Address: 2550 Main Street
Historic Name: Harding, B. House
Uses:Present: Residential
Original: Residential
Date of Construction: ca. 1840
Source:Historic maps, style and form
Style/Form: Greek Revival
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Exterior Material:
Foundation: Granite block, concrete block (under front
porch)
Wall/Trim: Wood clapboard, wood shingles/ Wood
Roof: Asphalt shingles
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Large barn with side ells (see Photo 3), one-bay garage
(see Photo 4)
Major Alterations (with dates):
One-story ell extended (date unknown)
Two-story rear ell (ca. 1962)
Rear family room (1988)
Condition: Good
Moved: no yes Date:
Acreage: 1.76 acres
Setting: This property is located in East Brewster on the
south side of Main Street. The surrounding area is
developed with a mix of historic and contemporary
residential, commercial and institutional buildings. The
house is set relatively close to the street on its level parcel.
An asphalt driveway circles between the house and the
large barn, and extends farther south to a second parcel
owned by the same family. The parcel is landscaped with
lawn, mature trees and shrubbery. A rail fence runs along
the street. The house is surrounded by foundation plantings.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET BREWSTER 2550 MAIN STREET
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
A,G,I BRE.191
Recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
If checked, you must attach a completed National Register Criteria Statement form.
Use as much space as necessary to complete the following entries, allowing text to flow onto additional continuation sheets.
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:
Describe architectural features. Evaluate the characteristics of this building in terms of other buildings within the community.
This is a high-style example of a Greek Revival house. The building consists of a 1½-story, gable-front main block with stepped
down lateral ell. A long one-story ell extends behind the lateral ell, and a two-story addition extends behind the main block. The
original components of the house rest on a raised granite block foundation. The elevations are clad in wood clapboard siding
with broad corner pilasters that have recessed panels. The roof is clad in asphalt shingles (likely wood shingles originally) and
has a projecting box cornice with broad frieze boards and partial returns across the gable ends (these partial returns were
intended to evoke the full pediment of a Greek temple). A short brick chimney rises from the ridge of the lateral ell and a tall
narrow brick chimney rises from the one-story rear ell. The two-story rear addition was built in ca. 1962 as a dormitory for the
Sea Pines School with six bedrooms and a chemistry lab in the basement.
The three-bay, gable-front elevation had an off-centered entrance which originally consisted of a door, flanked by sidelights and
pilasters surmounted by a broad lintel with projecting cornice, but the door has since been replaced with a window system
mirroring the sidelights. Fenestration consists primarily of wood, 6/6 double-hung sash set in molded surrounds. The lateral ell
has an open porch that is supported by turned posts with decorative brackets. The porch rests on a concrete block foundation
(likely added later for reinforcement). A second entrance with transom lights above is located within the porch. This entrance has
an unusual, non-original, three panel wood door.
To the southwest of the house is a large, side-gable former horse barn which appears to date to the mid-19th century. The
building rests on a stone foundation and is clad in painted wood shingles. The original barn doors have been replaced by two
garage doors on the front elevation. The current owner made three additions to sides and the rear of the barn. To the west of the
barn is a small, gable-front garage which appears to date to the early to mid-20th century.
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
Discuss the history of the building. Explain its associations with local (or state) history. Include uses of the building, and the role(s) the
owners/occupants played within the community.
The origins of this house remain unknown. The style and form of the house suggest a construction date of ca. 1840. The house
is shown in this location on the 1858 Map of Cape Cod with the name “B. Harding.” It is unknown to whom this refers. Deed
research traces this property back to Francis Baker (1825-1878), but a connection between the Baker and Harding families for
this property has not yet been discovered.
Francis Baker (1825-1878) was born in Yarmouth and married Mary E. Myrick (1825-1909) in Brewster in 1845. This property
was operated as a dairy farm, the barn is seen on the 1880 Barnstable County Atlas map. According to tax records, Baker also
came to own 30 sheep. Following Mary Baker’s death, the property passed to their daughter and son-in-law, Watson B. and
Laura E. Crocker, who married in 1902. Watson Crocker (1861-1940) was born in Brewster. After his first wife, Laura, died in
1919, Watson married Adrien(ne) Gulp, daughter of the First Universalist Church minister from 1911-1922. Crocker continued to
operate the property as a farm.
In 1941, the estate of Watson Crocker sold the property to Ralph W. and Caroline R. Guida of Dennis (Book 581/ Page 370). In
1962, the Guidas sold this property to the William Brewster Trust, an entity connected to the Sea Pines School which was in
operation across the street (Book 1159/ Page 279). The two-story rear ell was built shortly thereafter as a dormitory for the
school with six bedrooms and a chemistry lab in the basement. The main drawing room of the house served as the school
library. The house was referred to as the South Building during this period. In 1967, the Trust formerly transferred ownership of
this property to the Sea Pines School (Book 1400/ Page 178).
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET BREWSTER 2550 MAIN STREET
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 2
A,G,I BRE.191
In 1971, the Sea Pines School sold the property to Robert W. and Mary P. Stone of Dennis (Book 1510/ Page 465). The Stones
owned the Lighthouse Inn in West Dennis and never lived in this property – it was rented during their ownership. At that time, the
property included over 15 acres and included cranberry bogs. They recorded a subdivision plan that same year with the house
and barn located on Lot 1 (see attached plan, Plan Book 276, Page 20). That same year they also rented the barn to Mary Boyd,
who opened the Strawberry Patch gift store. Five years later, she and her husband George H. Boyd, III purchased the property
(Book 2356/ Page 297).
This parcel is located within the Old King’s Highway Regional Historic District adopted in 1973, and the house, barn and shed
are contributing resources in the Old King’s Highway National Register District adopted in 1996.
BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES
1858 Map, Map of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, & Nantucket, Walling, Henry.
1880 Map, Atlas of Barnstable County, Boston, MA: George H. Walker & Co., 1880.
1910 Map, Atlas of Barnstable County, Boston, MA: Walker Litho. & Publishing Co., 1910.
Barnstable County Registry of Deeds
Form B for 2550 Main Street, prepared by Teresa Ellis, 1980
Brewster Assessor sketch. 1971 Plan, Lot 1, Plan Book 276, page 20.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET BREWSTER 2550 MAIN STREET
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 3
A,G,I BRE.191
Photo 2. View looking southeast.
Photo 3. View of barn, looking south. Photo 4. View of shed, looking southwest.