No. 3890 1049 Adams Street, photograph February 14, 2004.
Date of construction: 1869-1870
Two story house, where second floor has a Mansard roof, plus turret extending above
MACRIS BOS.5633
Henry Pierce House
1870
Italianate, Second Empire
The following is from the area form for Lower Mills East, Boston Landmarks Commission prepared as part of 1994 Survey of Dorchester. Dated May, 1995 and recorded by Edward W. Gordon.
The towered Italianate/Mansard house at 1049 Adams Street provides a memorable introduction to the area, standing as it does like a sentinel, on a rise overlooking the Adams Richmond Street intersection. This house exhibits the massing of a towered Italianate villa with the towered portion nestled into the two intersecting components of the house. All three components, including the tower are enclosed by hip- on-mansard roofs. The tower’s mansard exhibits an occulus window on each side.
Indeed, one of the most memorable streetscapes in this area is 100 to 130 Richmond Street, a rhythmic progression of boxy forms leading the way to the villa at 1049 Adams Street. 1049 Adams Street’s asymmetrica1, towered form is rooted in the romantic taste of the mid 19th century.
Another product of c. early 1870s moderate building activity at Lower Mills East — and a stellar example at that — is the Italianate/ Mansard villa at 1049 Adams Street. This house is listed as “House in process” in the 1869 Taxable Valuation of the Town of Dorchester. It was built for Henry Pierce of T.C. Bacon & Co., 1 Union Wharf. Pierce was a major land owner in this area, owning 9 acres of Neponset River Marsh in addition to his 59,888 square foot house lot. This house remained in the Pierce family until the 1910s. By 1933, this house was owned by Carl Herman Frejd, wood grader.
Owners from maps and atlases
1874 H. Pierce 59,888 sf
1884 Henry Pierce
1889 Henry Pierce
1894 Henry Pierce
1898 Susan J. ierce
1904 Susan J. Pierce
1910 Mary E. Pierce 58,242 sf
1918 Wm L. Norton et al trs
1933 C. H. & E. Frejd
Apparently Henry Pierce’s father’s property before him. This is not Henry L. Pierce.
Henry Pierce was a hat maker.
Boston Directory1870
Henry Pierce (T. C. Bacon & Co.), 1 Union, house Adams, cor. Ricmond, ward 16.