December 4, 2009, Newsletter Issue #102: The James Blake House
Tip of the Week
The oldest house on record in Boston is the James Blake house in the Dorchester section of the city. Blake built the house, located at 735 Columbia Road, in about 1648. He later became a prominent Bostonian, serving at various times as selectman, deputy and constable.
The Blake house is of particular significance in the history of American architecture, and is often studied by architecture students because it is believed to be the only house in the United States built using a distinct country framing technique common in West England. The house is two stories with a central chimney, a gable roof and it has a heavy timber frame.
The Blake House is also an excellent candidate for your next trivia showdown - it is thought to be the first American house ever moved from its original site in order to rescue it from demolition. The move took place in 1895 and was the first major project taken on by the newly-formed Dorchester Historical Society.
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