Isaac Winslow House
Encyclopedia
The Isaac Winslow House, also known as the Winslow House Museum, is a mansion located in Marshfield
, Massachusetts
built around 1700. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
and was considered an avant-garde South Shore mansion.
Built by Judge Isaac Winslow, the house is virtually untouched by modernization, it was occupied by a family of governors, generals, doctors, lawyers and judges who helped to create Marshfield and the South Shore. It survives as an example of how well-to-do landed gentry, particularly Loyalists
, lived in the years prior to the American Revolutionary War
.
Among its occupants were General John Winslow, leader of the Massachusetts militia, who is best known for his role in the evacuation of the Acadia
ns from Nova Scotia
—an event commemorated by Longfellow in his epic poem Evangeline. His son, Isaac Winslow, was a Loyalist doctor who quarantined and inoculated many Marshfield and Duxbury residents afflicted with smallpox. Largely because of his actions, his property was not confiscated after the Revolution. Another notable occupant was the manservant Britton Hammon, who after voyaging at sea, being captured by Indians off the coast of Florida
, and his subsequent escape and reconciliation with former master John Winslow, wrote his life story, becoming among the first African-Americans to have published his work in the New World.
The house remained in the Winslow family until 1822, and was later owned by Daniel Webster
. It was restored and opened to the public in 1920. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 2000.
furniture maker Edmond Titcomb in 1700, and a Queen Anne dresser constructed around 1760.
The Daniel Webster Law Office
is a building on the National Register which contains original letters and artifacts relating to the former congressman, Senator and Secretary of State who lived in Marshfield for the last twenty years of his life. Also on the grounds is a carriage shed housing Webster's one-horse phaeton
, as well as Marshfield's own Concord Coach once used to transport passengers from Marshfield to Hingham, and a brougham
formerly owned by a railroad magnate. A working blacksmith shop is on site and has been a favorite spot for many Marshfield school children on field trips to the house. Across the street is the 1857 Winslow Schoolhouse, and it shows how a school day would have been conducted prior to the American Civil War
. The Tea Room, built in 1920 to serve turkey dinners used to raise money for the Winslow House restoration, is still in use for functions, lectures, field trips and dinners and can be rented out by private parties.
Beginning in 1920, the Winslow House has been the property of the Winslow House Association, a non-profit group created specifically to promote and sustain the long-term well-being of the home. It is open to the public for tours on Wednesday through Sunday from Memorial Day
to Columbus Day
, and maintains a full schedule of dinners, lectures, concerts and other community events.
Marshfield, Massachusetts
Marshfield is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on Massachusetts's South Shore. The population was 25,132 at the 2010 census.See also: Green Harbor, Marshfield , Rexhame, Marshfield Hills, and Ocean Bluff and Brant Rock....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
built around 1700. The house is listed on 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...
.
History of the Isaac Winslow House
The Isaac Winslow House is the ancestral home of the founding family of MarshfieldMarshfield, Massachusetts
Marshfield is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on Massachusetts's South Shore. The population was 25,132 at the 2010 census.See also: Green Harbor, Marshfield , Rexhame, Marshfield Hills, and Ocean Bluff and Brant Rock....
and was considered an avant-garde South Shore mansion.
Built by Judge Isaac Winslow, the house is virtually untouched by modernization, it was occupied by a family of governors, generals, doctors, lawyers and judges who helped to create Marshfield and the South Shore. It survives as an example of how well-to-do landed gentry, particularly Loyalists
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
, lived in the years prior to the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Among its occupants were General John Winslow, leader of the Massachusetts militia, who is best known for his role in the evacuation of the Acadia
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
ns from Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
—an event commemorated by Longfellow in his epic poem Evangeline. His son, Isaac Winslow, was a Loyalist doctor who quarantined and inoculated many Marshfield and Duxbury residents afflicted with smallpox. Largely because of his actions, his property was not confiscated after the Revolution. Another notable occupant was the manservant Britton Hammon, who after voyaging at sea, being captured by Indians off the coast of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and his subsequent escape and reconciliation with former master John Winslow, wrote his life story, becoming among the first African-Americans to have published his work in the New World.
The house remained in the Winslow family until 1822, and was later owned by Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
. It was restored and opened to the public in 1920. The house 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...
in 2000.
Museum
A tour of the home shows antiques and architecture from the Winslow period, and includes items such as a chest built by NewburyportNewburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
furniture maker Edmond Titcomb in 1700, and a Queen Anne dresser constructed around 1760.
The Daniel Webster Law Office
Daniel Webster Law Office
The Daniel Webster Law Office and Library, also known as Daniel Webster Law Office, is a National Historic Landmark on Careswell and Webster Streets in Marshfield, Massachusetts....
is a building on the National Register which contains original letters and artifacts relating to the former congressman, Senator and Secretary of State who lived in Marshfield for the last twenty years of his life. Also on the grounds is a carriage shed housing Webster's one-horse phaeton
Phaeton (carriage)
Phaeton is the early 19th-century term for a sporty open carriage drawn by a single horse or a pair, typically with four extravagantly large wheels, very lightly sprung, with a minimal body, fast and dangerous. It usually had no sidepieces in front of the seats...
, as well as Marshfield's own Concord Coach once used to transport passengers from Marshfield to Hingham, and a brougham
Brougham
Brougham could betransport:* Brougham , a single-engined aircraft of the 1920s and 1930s.* Brougham , a light four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage* Brougham , an automobile with a similar style; later applied to any luxurious car...
formerly owned by a railroad magnate. A working blacksmith shop is on site and has been a favorite spot for many Marshfield school children on field trips to the house. Across the street is the 1857 Winslow Schoolhouse, and it shows how a school day would have been conducted prior to the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The Tea Room, built in 1920 to serve turkey dinners used to raise money for the Winslow House restoration, is still in use for functions, lectures, field trips and dinners and can be rented out by private parties.
Beginning in 1920, the Winslow House has been the property of the Winslow House Association, a non-profit group created specifically to promote and sustain the long-term well-being of the home. It is open to the public for tours on Wednesday through Sunday from Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
to Columbus Day
Columbus Day
Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday...
, and maintains a full schedule of dinners, lectures, concerts and other community events.