1049 Adams Street

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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.

Skills

Posted on

July 9, 2020