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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
114-1-0 Dennis A, G BRE.41
Town/City: BREWSTER
Place:(neighborhood or village):
Address: 3381 Main Street
Historic Name:
Uses:Present: Residential, Institutional
Original: Residential
Date of Construction: Late-18th/ Early-19th c.
Source:Deed research, building form
Style/Form: / Half Cape
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Exterior Material:
Foundation: Fieldstone, cement
Wall/Trim: Wood shingles/ Wood
Roof: Asphalt shingles
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Two large buildings connected with theater, including former
Crosby barn, set well back and not visible from the street.
Major Alterations (with dates):
Comprehensive rehabilitation (2010)
Condition: Good
Moved: no yes Date:
Acreage: 45.06 acres
Setting: This house is set back from the street on a very
large parcel that operated as a camp and is now a theater.
The parcel stretches to the bay and is surrounded by
residential development on small parcels to the east and
west, and Nickerson State Park across the street. The
grounds around the house are informally landscaped with
lawn.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET BREWSTER 3381 MAIN STREET
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
BRE.A, G BRE.41
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 house began as a Half Cape that has been expanded with a series of ells and additions. The Half Cape rests on a mortared
fieldstone foundation and the rear ell rests on a brick foundation until it reaches the brick chimney on the ell, after which the
remaining building components rest on concrete foundations, likely replacing earlier foundations during a comprehensive
rehabilitation in 2010. The walls are clad in wood shingles with quoins on the front corners (a Georgian-style detail) and plain
cornerboards on remaining elevations. The roof is clad in wood shingles on the Half Cape roof and asphalt shingles on the
remaining roofs (the ell roofs were also clad in wood shingles originally). No chimney remains on the Half Cape portion, but there
is a tall narrow brick chimney on the rear ell. The front entrance is unusual in its design (see Photo 2). The replacement door
itself has a Queen Anne style window. Flanking the door are round-headed partial sidelights. Above the door is an elegant
round-headed transom light with leaded glass. These elements are all set within a frame of flat pilasters and a simple molded
lintel above. Fenestration on the Half Cape consists of 6/2 double-hung sash on the first story set in projecting molded frames
and 6/6 windows on the second story which are set in projecting frames that do not have molding. The second story also has
unusual small 4/2 windows set close to the gable eaves.
To the right of the Half Cape portion of the house is a one-story ell that is flush with the front elevation and has two widely-
spaced windows. A second gable-roofed ell extends behind this side ell. As noted above, there is a long rear ell, likely extended
over time, that connects to a larger gable-roofed building component (see Photo 3).
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 1979 version of this Form B states that the house dates to ca. 1780 and likely was built by the Crosby family. Deed research
has not been able to confirm this date. Title research does trace this house back to Isaac Crosby, who assembled multiple tracts
of land in East Brewster into the 1850s, Samuel Deyo, in his book History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts: 1620-1890,
provides this information about Isaac Crosby (1809-1883):
“Isaac, youngest child of Nathan [Sr.] and Annie (Pinkham) Crosby, was born May 6, 1809, and married Mrs. Eunice
Ryder of Chatham. They had three children, two of whom survive. He received the usual New England district school
education, and worked while young on his father's farm. Later he engaged extensively in fishing and salt making,
displaying the same faithfulness and energy he ever showed in all his business affairs. In 1848, his health failing, he
decided to go to Chicago - then a small city in the far West - where he entered into business with his nephew, Albert
Crosby. Subsequently his two brothers, Nathan [Jr.] and Roland, joined them, and for many years their interests were
intimately connected with the growth and prosperity of the city. In 1855 he returned to Brewster, but, finding its quietness
irksome, he engaged in business in Chicago with his son-in-law, S. M. Nickerson, residing a portion of the time in
Brewster, and becoming identified from its commencement with The First National Bank of Hyannis—being director at
the time of his death, May 20, 1883. Perhaps no better tribute can be paid him than to quote a few words from the
resolutions passed by the directors of the bank after his death. "— in the death of Isaac Crosby we have lost a true
friend and the bank a faithful and efficient officer—one of its earliest and best friends, one whose life was upright and
noble, an energetic and successful business man, who unostentatiously did many kind acts in his daily life."
Based upon a review of historic maps and atlases and deed research, it appears that this house may have originally been
located closer to Crosby Lane (see attached detail 1858 Map of Cape Cod). The name on that map is I. Crosby, which refers to
Isaac Crosby. In 1865, he purchased “Buildings” from Charles Freeman, which may refer to the building shown closer to Main
Street on that same map (Book 86/ Page 351). By the time of the 1880 Barnstable Atlas, two buildings are set next to each other
close to the “County Road” with the name “I. Crosby.” The second building may have been the stable that is no longer extant.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET BREWSTER 3381 MAIN STREET
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 2
BRE.A, G BRE.41
Isaac F. Crosby inherited this property from Isaac Crosby. He also assembled 120 acres of woodland, and 3 acres of cranberry
bogs from Samuel M. Nickerson. Crosby and his wife Sarah took out a mortgage in 1892. That mortgage was foreclosed upon
and in 1899, by Winfield Richards of Hull, MA who, in turn, conveyed the property to George Rice and Henry Mason of Newton
(Book 240/ Page 241). The following year, Rice and Mason conveyed a portion of those premises, still extending from the
County Road to the bay, to Samuel M. Nickerson (Book 248/ Page 107). Once again, a mortgage was taken out, and once again
it was foreclosed upon. In 1902, the property was sold via a foreclosure sale to Rose B. Rice of New York, NY (Book 260/ page
161).
In 1923 Rose Rice, now a widow living in Montclair, NJ, conveyed this property to Wallace and Edith MacHoldt of Springfield,
MA (Book 381/ Page 72). The following year, the MacHoldts conveyed the property to Addie Pike Dodd and Emma Delahanty of
Worcester (Book 432/ Page 44). In 1928, they conveyed the property to their husbands, Harriman Dodd and Robert Delahanty
(Book 454/ Page 120). “Captain Del” Delahanty and Dodd were two educators at The Worcester Academy who founded a boys
camp in 1922 in Harwich that was moved to this site in 1926. Dodd later sold his interest to Delahanty, and in 1951 Delahanty
sold three parcels that included this house to Camp Mon-o-moy (Book 787/ Page 280). In 1975, the boys camp merged with and
moved to the girls camp, Camp Wono, located farther west at 3057 Main Street (BRE.193).
In 1981, Camp Monomoy, Inc. recorded a subdivision plan of this large property, with this house and an outbuilding no longer
extant, located on Lot 1 (see attached detail of 1981 map, Plan Book 361/ Page 27). In 1984, Camp Monomoy, Inc. sold the
entire property to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management (DEM) (Book 4012/ Page 205). The DEM
leased the property to the Cape Rep Theater. The Crosby house is now used partially as rental housing (front portion) and the
rear ells are used as offices for the theater company.
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
Deyo, Simeon L., ed., History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts: 1620-1890, New York: H. W. Blake & Co., 1890.
Brewster Assessor sketch. Photo 2. Detail of front entrance.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET BREWSTER 3381 MAIN STREET
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 3
BRE.A, G BRE.41
Photo 3. View looking south.
Detail of 1858 Map of Cape Cod.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET BREWSTER 3381 MAIN STREET
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 4
BRE.A, G BRE.41
Detail of 1880 Barnstable County Atlas map (circle added).
Detail of 1981 subdivision plan by Camp Monomoy, Inc.