Browne House
Encyclopedia
The Abraham Browne House (built circa 1694-1701) is a colonial
house located at 562 Main Street, Watertown, Massachusetts
, USA. It is now a nonprofit museum operated by Historic New England
and open to the public two afternoons per year.
The house was originally a modest one-over-one dwelling, probably with a minor dependency to one side. It has grown by a series of enlargements but they occurred behind the original block, thus preserving the profile of the one-over-one elevation. (The exception, a 19th century addition, was removed before 1919). The Browne House is one of fewer than a half-dozen houses in New England
to retain this profile.
By 1919 the house was nearly ruined when it was acquired by William Sumner Appleton
, who in 1923 donated it to the nonprofit organization now known as Historic New England
. It was then painstakingly restored in the first fully documented restoration in America. The Abraham Browne house was featured on PBS's This Old House television program while they were in Watertown for a restoration project during their 20th anniversary season. The house is open for tours twice a year.
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...
house located at 562 Main Street, Watertown, Massachusetts
Watertown, Massachusetts
The Town of Watertown is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,915 at the 2010 census.- History :Archeological evidence suggests that Watertown was inhabited for thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from England...
, USA. It is now a nonprofit museum operated by Historic New England
Historic New England
Historic New England, previously known as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities , is a charitable, non-profit, historic preservation organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It is focused on New England and is the oldest and largest regional preservation...
and open to the public two afternoons per year.
The house was originally a modest one-over-one dwelling, probably with a minor dependency to one side. It has grown by a series of enlargements but they occurred behind the original block, thus preserving the profile of the one-over-one elevation. (The exception, a 19th century addition, was removed before 1919). The Browne House is one of fewer than a half-dozen houses in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
to retain this profile.
By 1919 the house was nearly ruined when it was acquired by William Sumner Appleton
William Sumner Appleton
William Sumner Appleton, Jr. was Founder of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities in 1910. He was the chief force behind much of the preservation of historic homes in the New England area...
, who in 1923 donated it to the nonprofit organization now known as Historic New England
Historic New England
Historic New England, previously known as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities , is a charitable, non-profit, historic preservation organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It is focused on New England and is the oldest and largest regional preservation...
. It was then painstakingly restored in the first fully documented restoration in America. The Abraham Browne house was featured on PBS's This Old House television program while they were in Watertown for a restoration project during their 20th anniversary season. The house is open for tours twice a year.
See also
- Historic New EnglandHistoric New EnglandHistoric New England, previously known as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities , is a charitable, non-profit, historic preservation organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It is focused on New England and is the oldest and largest regional preservation...
- List of historic houses in Massachusetts
- List of the oldest buildings in Massachusetts
External links
- Browne House - Historic New England