Baldwin House
Encyclopedia
The Baldwin House, also known as the Loammi Baldwin Mansion, is a fine Colonial America
n mansion located at 2 Alfred Street in Woburn, Massachusetts
. On October 7, 1971, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
It is currently a restaurant called Sichuan Garden and is in a state of disrepair. There was debate about using the property as a restaurant but ultimately the plans were approved as being sufficiently respectful of the historical nature of the site.
The historic 1790 House
was across the Middlesex Canal
.
, greatly enlarged the house to its current form. (This younger Baldwin, known as the Father of American Civil Engineering, created the Middlesex Canal
, and lent his name to the Baldwin apple, discovered nearby.) At that time its grounds were 212 acre (0.85793432 km²) in extent. On the south, between the house and the canal, was formerly a beautiful garden, with walks and trees, superior to anything in the region. All traces have long since disappeared under suburban sprawl.
All told, six generations of Baldwins lived in the house, as documented in John Farmer's Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New England: Henry Baldwin from 1661 to 1697; Henry Baldwin, son of the above; then James Baldwin; Loammi Baldwin, son of James, to 1807; he put on a third story. Benjamin F. Baldwin, 1807 to 1822; Loammi, Mary, and Clarissa Baldwin, from 1822 to 1836. George R. Baldwin from 1836 to November, 1887 (or to death, October 11, 1888.) After leaving the family's ownership it became a boarding house and a restaurant.
The house is nearly cubical in form, three stories tall, with false ashlar
front facade and clapboarding elsewhere, full-height pilasters at the corners, and a balustrade above the eaves. The entry door is ornamented with a classic pediment
and lights, and further graced by an elegant Palladian window above.
In 1971 the house was moved to its current site to make way for expansion of a supermarket shopping area, immediately adjacent to the Middlesex Canal
, from its original location just west of Main Street at the Route 128
rotary (now commercial sprawl). Remnants of the canal can still be seen near the original home site and adjacent to the Showcase Cinemas parking lot.
Colonial America
The colonial history of the United States covers the history from the start of European settlement and especially the history of the thirteen colonies of Britain until they declared independence in 1776. In the late 16th century, England, France, Spain and the Netherlands launched major...
n mansion located at 2 Alfred Street in Woburn, Massachusetts
Woburn, Massachusetts
Woburn is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located north of Boston, Massachusetts, and just south of the intersection of I-93 and I-95.- History :...
. On October 7, 1971, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
It is currently a restaurant called Sichuan Garden and is in a state of disrepair. There was debate about using the property as a restaurant but ultimately the plans were approved as being sufficiently respectful of the historical nature of the site.
The historic 1790 House
1790 House (Woburn, Massachusetts)
The 1790 House, also called the Joseph Bartlett House or the Bartlett-Wheeler House, is a historic house located at 827 Main Street, Woburn, Massachusetts, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
was across the Middlesex Canal
Middlesex Canal
The Middlesex Canal was a 27-mile barge canal connecting the Merrimack River with the port of Boston. When operational it was 30 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, with 20 locks, each 80 feet long and between 10 and 11 feet wide...
.
History
The original Baldwin House was built in 1661 by Henry Baldwin, one of Woburn's first settlers. In 1803 his great-grandson, noted engineer Col. Loammi BaldwinLoammi Baldwin
Colonel Loammi Baldwin was a noted American engineer, politician, and a soldier in the American Revolutionary War....
, greatly enlarged the house to its current form. (This younger Baldwin, known as the Father of American Civil Engineering, created the Middlesex Canal
Middlesex Canal
The Middlesex Canal was a 27-mile barge canal connecting the Merrimack River with the port of Boston. When operational it was 30 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, with 20 locks, each 80 feet long and between 10 and 11 feet wide...
, and lent his name to the Baldwin apple, discovered nearby.) At that time its grounds were 212 acre (0.85793432 km²) in extent. On the south, between the house and the canal, was formerly a beautiful garden, with walks and trees, superior to anything in the region. All traces have long since disappeared under suburban sprawl.
All told, six generations of Baldwins lived in the house, as documented in John Farmer's Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New England: Henry Baldwin from 1661 to 1697; Henry Baldwin, son of the above; then James Baldwin; Loammi Baldwin, son of James, to 1807; he put on a third story. Benjamin F. Baldwin, 1807 to 1822; Loammi, Mary, and Clarissa Baldwin, from 1822 to 1836. George R. Baldwin from 1836 to November, 1887 (or to death, October 11, 1888.) After leaving the family's ownership it became a boarding house and a restaurant.
The house is nearly cubical in form, three stories tall, with false ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
front facade and clapboarding elsewhere, full-height pilasters at the corners, and a balustrade above the eaves. The entry door is ornamented with a classic pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
and lights, and further graced by an elegant Palladian window above.
In 1971 the house was moved to its current site to make way for expansion of a supermarket shopping area, immediately adjacent to the Middlesex Canal
Middlesex Canal
The Middlesex Canal was a 27-mile barge canal connecting the Merrimack River with the port of Boston. When operational it was 30 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, with 20 locks, each 80 feet long and between 10 and 11 feet wide...
, from its original location just west of Main Street at the Route 128
Route 128 (Massachusetts)
Route 128, also known as the Yankee Division Highway , and originally the Circumferential Highway, is a partial beltway around Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The majority of the highway is built to freeway standards, and about 3/5 of it is part of the Interstate Highway System...
rotary (now commercial sprawl). Remnants of the canal can still be seen near the original home site and adjacent to the Showcase Cinemas parking lot.
External links
- Nice Web version of the Baldwin article from Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs relating to the Families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts by W.R.Cutter published 1908, pages 9–22 of Volume 1, also see Volume 2,Volume 3, Volume 4.