Historic Sites Center- East

Name:

Address: 113/115 Center Street

Date: c. 1880

History: This two family house is one of the best preserved examples of early' Arlington District" housing. It is representative of the two family, side by side house seen in approximately six locations throughout the District. The primary impetus for development of the area was the expansion of the Arlington Mills, immediately to the west along Stevens Pond of the Spicket River. The mills employed thousands of Lawrence and Methuen workers, and owned little operative housing. 113-115 Center street is significant as a surviving example of the two family house type built in the Arlington District after the Civil War. It possesses integrity of location, setting, design and workmanship and meets the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places.

Name: Dr. Charles A. Goldsmith House

Address: 1 Charles Street

Date: c.1870

In 1882, the Methuen Transcript reported the death of Thomas Goldsmith of Lowell Street and noted that his son Dr. Charles A. Goldsmith was not at that time living in Methuen. Dr. Goldsmith returned to Methuen soon thereafter and appears to have purchased this house. Although the Directory for 1885 states that he lived on Lowell Street, the 1884 map shows Dr. C. A. Goldsmith at the intersection of Charles and Lawrence Street while the 1885 Sanborn map shows 1 Charles Street one house in at its present location. It appears that the 1884 map is drawn incorrectly, omitting the house in this location The 1896 map shows this house under the ownership of C. A. Goldsmith. The location of Dr. Goldsmith's house could not be determined from the Assessor's Records.

Name: Tenney & Company Shoe Factory

Address: 2 Charles Street

Date: 1868

History: In 1846 there were four houses on Charles Street, none of which remain. Of the existing houses on the south side of the street, all but two date from the 1860s and 1870s. On the north side of Charles, the four story Tenney & Company shoe factory was built in 1868 during a period of post-Civil War expansion by George W. Tenney and his brother Daniel W. Tenney who formed Tenney and Company in 1865. They did business in a small shop on Hampshire Street until 1868 when their new, four story, factory building with "French roof" at 2 Charles Street was completed. According to the 1885 Sanborn Insurance map, the first floor was used for sole leather cutting, the second for upper cutting, the third for stitching and dressing and the fourth for buttoning. The Tenney brothers continued together in business until their retirement in 1888 after which the building was sold to other manufacturing interests.

Daniel W. Tenney and George W. Tenney, born 1832 and 1835 respectively in Salem, New Hampshire, were sons of John Tenney and Hannah Woodbury. Daniel lived at the corner of Broadway and Pleasant Street and George directly across the street. George's house was built in 1892; Daniel's, which was designed by Haverhill architect C. W. Damon, in 1879. Brothers J. Milton Tenney and Charles H. Tenney were in the hat business, C. H. Tenney and Company, beginning in 1869. (see forms for 225 Broadway, 37 Pleasant St., 5 Charles St.)

Name: Calvin J. Sargent House

Address: 3 Charles Street

Date: 1869

The House at 3 Charles Street was built for Calvin J. Sargent in 1869, possibly by Jesse Townes, a local builder who also built 5 Charles Street for J. Milton Tenney. Sargent worked in the Tenney Hat Factory on Broadway. In 1879, the Methuen Transcript noted that he had received a patent for a "hat pouncing machine," and in 1883 reported that he had been promoted to superintendent of the factory. Sargent still owned the house in 1896.

Improvements to Charles Street and various properties were noted in the Methuen Transcript. In 1879 there were new street lamps in the vicinity of J. Milton Tenney's and Calvin J. Sargent's houses and in 1883 new concrete side walks were laid in front of the same houses. Grading of the road and repair of the retaining walls was an ongoing project.

Name: J. Milton Tenney House

Address: 5 Charles Street

Date:

The house at 5 Charles Street was built by local builder Jesse A. Townes who came to Methuen at the age of 18 from Londonderry, New Hampshire. Townes paid taxes on the house for two years and in 1872 sold it to J. Milton Tenney. Tenney, son of John Tenney and Hannah Woodbury, was born in Salem, New Hampshire, but settled with his brothers Charles, Daniel, and George in Methuen. J. Milton worked with his brother Charles in the C. H. Tenney Hat Factory, (see 225 Broadway) which was begun in 1869. In 1883, when Charles went to New York, J. Milton bought out his interest and ran the business until his retirement in 1898. After his retirement, he built a new house on Pleasant Street and spent time in Florida where he died on March 23, 1923. In 1909, this house and 19 Charles Street (demolished) were used by the Arlington Mill for day nurseries. Improvements to Charles Street and various properties were noted in the Methuen Transcript. In 1879 there were new street lamps in the vicinity of J. Milton Tenney's and Calvin J. Sargent's houses and in 1883 new concrete side walks were laid in front of the same houses. Grading of the road and repair of the retaining walls was an ongoing project.

Name: Samuel Webster House

Address: 7 Charles Street

Date: 1875

The house at 7 Charles Street was built for Samuel Webster in 1875. Webster, who previously lived at 15 Lowell Street, first appears in the assessor's records in 1854. In the 1860 Directory he is listed as a grocer living on Lowell Street with a business, Merrill and Webster, on Main Street (Broadway). Merrill and Webster dealt in Dry and West Indies Goods, Paint, Oil, Hardware and Cutlery. In 1882, several years after his move to Charles Street, Webster took over the livery stable behind the nearby Exchange Hotel and ran carriages to the depot. He died in the late 1880s. As late as 1901-02, his widow, Mrs. Sarah Webster was still living at 7 Charles Street.

Name: Thomas J. Richardson House

Address: 9 Charles Street

Date: c. 1859

History: In 1846 there were four houses on Charles Street, none of which remain. Of the existing houses on the south side of the street, all but two date from the 1860s and 1870s. 9 Charles may be earlier. On the north side of Charles, the four story Tenney & Company shoe factory was built in 1868 during a period of post-Civil War expansion.

In 1857, T. J. Richardson is listed in the assessor's records as having a house, shop and land, and in 1859 as having a house on a 1/4 acre of land. The 1860 Directory, lists him as living in a house on Charles Street, the location of which is confirmed by the 1872 map. In the 1880s, the house was occupied by Richardson's daughter Mrs. Esther Teel and in 1881 the house was enlarged by local builder, Jesse A. Townes. According to the Methuen Transcript, Mrs. Teel died in 1884. The house was later occupied by Newell and Walter Leach, who had a fish store on Hampshire Street.

Name:

Address: 11 Charles Street

Date: 1981

History: In 1846 there were four houses on Charles Street, none of which remain. Of the existing houses on the south side of the street, all but two, 11 and 17 Charles Street, date from the 1860s and 1870s. On the north side of Charles, the four story Tenney & Company shoe factory was built in 1868 during a period of post- Civil War expansion.

A house, built in the 1873 and belonging to Cyrus B. Gage, stood on this site until it was demolished in the 1980s to make way for construction of the present two-family house, built in 1981.

Name: The Haffner House

Address: 17 Charles Street

Date: 1933

This house and garage, built in 1933 for Louis A. and Esther C. Haffner, replaced an earlier house, built in the 1850s and belonging to J. C. Kent.

Name: Civil War Memorial and Park

Address: Charles Street

Date: 1888

History: The Civil War Monument, in its time called a "model of taste", was given to the town of Methuen by Charles H. Tenney, local benefactor and highly respected member of the community. Tenney came to Methuen in 1868 and started building his fortune with the C. H. Tenney Hat Factory. He later opened a commission house in New York. Returning to Methuen in the summers, he built a magnificent stone residence in the 1890s called "Grey Court" (37 Pleasant St) on the hill overlooking the monument site.

The site was deeded to the town in 1887 and by November of that year the stone work for the monument had been completed. Thomas Ball is said to be the sculptor. The Dedication took place on July 24, 1888 and was reported in complete detail in the Methuen Transcript.

Name: Methuen Water Works

Address: 120 Cross Street

Date: 1893

History: The Waterworks were built after the establishment of a Water Board in 1893. This site, near the junction of the Spicket River and Harris Pond Brook, was chosen as the most favorable. E. Worthington, Jr. and Company of Boston made the initial survey and drove the wells. A 212' x 257' reservoir was built on Foster's hill according to the "now approved modern plans." The completion of the waterworks was considered a significant undertaking for the Town of Methuen, and involved the cooperation and donations from leading citizens, including Daniel W. Tenney, E.J. Castle, and Charles Mann. The Waterworks possess integrity of location, design, setting and workmanship and meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places.

Name:

Address: 114 Cross Street

Date: ca. 1893

History: It appears that this house was built ca. 1893 by the Town of Methuen as the residence for the chief engineer of the adjacent Methuen Water Works pumping station. The earliest occupant/engineer that has been identified is Arthur M. Goodwin who lived here as early as 1901. By 1914 the job and house had passed to William Lawton. Lawton remained here until about 1950 when he was replaced by Albert Desrochers who is listed in the 1954 directory as a craftsman for the Methuen Water Works.

Name: The Johnson House

Address: 8 Ditson Place

Date: C. 1830

History: Ditson Place (Leafy Lane) was not opened as a public road until 1909/10 when better access to the Central School (10 Ditson Pl) was desired. Known as Leafy Lane throughout the latter part of the 19th century, it appears in the 1901/2 Directory as Ditson Place in memory of long time resident Benjamin Ditson whose homestead was at the corner of Ditson and Park on the site of the 1924 addition to the Central School. Ditson came from Pelham, N.H. and married Hannah Barker of Methuen in 1818. A farmer and staunch member of the First Baptist Church, he died in 1869. His widow died at the age of 91 in 1887 after which the house and adjacent cottage house were sold to Mr. Frank Johnson (16 Ditson Place).

The house at 8 Ditson Place, which for many years belonged to the Johnson family, originally stood on Broadway where Friendly's now stands. It was the home of Joseph Warren Carleton, who was born in 1794 and married Lucy Ann Mills of Durham, N.H. 1817. Carlton, a prominent citizen, was among other things a selectman and Justice of the Peace.

According to a reminiscence by William Barnes there were no houses on Leafy Lane in 1845. The first house was Mr. Johnson's, which formerly belonged to Joseph W. Carlton, who sold it to K. C. Gleason who moved it to Leafy Lane. The 1853 Essex County map shows several houses on Leafy Lane by that time. The 1860 Directory lists Kimball C. Gleason, wool hat manufacturer, house -----st. (sic) between Main (Broadway) and Park. In the 1885 Directory, Edward F. Johnson, who lived on Leafy Lane was listed as a railroad postal clerk with the B & M. The family remained there until well into the 20th century.

The Johnson House possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship and meets the criterion of the National Register of Historic Places.

Name: Central Elementary School

Address: 10 Ditson Place

Date: 1904, addition 1924 (plaque on bldg.)

History: Ditson Place (Leafy Lane) was not opened as a public road until 1909/10 when better access to the Central School was desired. Known as Leafy Lane throughout the latter part of the 19th-century, it appears in the 1901/2 Directory as Ditson Place in memory of a long time resident Benjamin Ditson whose homestead was at the corner of Ditson and Park on the site of the 1924 addition to the Central School. Ditson came from Pelham, N.H. and married Hannah Barker of Methuen in 1818. A farmer and staunch member of the First Baptist Church, he died in 1869. His widow died at the age of 91 in 1887 after which the house and adjacent cottage house were sold to Mr. Frank Johnson. (see 16 Ditson Place)

The Central Elementary School, built 1904/5 was donated to the town by Edward F. Searles to replace an old, three story wooden structure built in the 1870s on the corner of Park and Lawrence Streets. The building was designed by the well-known architect Henry Vaughan, who designed several other building for Searles including the Serlo Organ Hall (192 Broadway; NR) The masonry work was done by L. E. Locke, the wood work by A. S. Lang. Cost of the building was $75,000.

The addition, facing on Ditson Place, was built in 1924 to accommodate Junior High School students. In 1964, the Junior High moved to a new building now known at the Methuen East Middle School.

Name: M. Johnson House

Address: 12 Ditson Place

Date: c. 1840s

History: Ditson Place (Leafy Lane) was not opened as a public road until 1909/10 when better access to the Central School (10 Ditson Pl.) was desired. Known as Leafy Lane throughout the latter part of the 19th century, it appears in the 1901/2 Directory as Ditson Place in memory of a long time resident Benjamin Ditson whose homestead was at the corner of Ditson and Park on the site of the 1924 addition to the Central School. Ditson came from Pelham, N.H. and married Hannah Barker of this town in 1818. A farmer and staunch member of the First Baptist Church, he died in 1869. His widow died at the age of 91 in 1887 after which the house and adjacent cottage house were sold to Mr. Frank Johnson and later to Edward F. Searles.

According to the assessor's records, in 1904 Searles moved two houses from the north side of Ditson Place to the south side (see 16 Ditson Place). The M. Johnson house, seen on the 1896 map, became 12 Ditson Place. (Whether that is the cottage house mentioned above is not clear.) A house appears on the site of the M. Johnson house as early as 1872, but does not show up on the 1846 map. However, it appears to be a house from the 1840s - possibly moved to that site as was other Johnson house.

Name: Currier/Ditson House

Address: 16 Ditson Place

Date: c.1840

According to the assessor's records, the Daniel Currier house, which originally stood at the corner of Lawrence Street and Park (present site of St. Monica's School playground; 200 Lawrence St.) was moved to 16 Ditson Place in 1904 by Edward F. Searles. Part of the old Benjamin Ditson house, which Searles had bought from Frank Johnson was moved to the south side of Ditson Place as an ell for the Currier house.

Daniel Currier is listed in the 1860 Directory as a shoe manufacturer with a house at the corner of Lawrence and Park Streets and a house is shown at that sight on the 1846 Barker map of the town.

Name:

Address: 74 Dracut Street

Date: c. 1775

History: The farm house at 74 Dracut Street was built c. 1775 for Caleb Sawyer, who purchased the land (a twenty-five acre parcel) from Moses Merrick in 1774. It appears that Sawyer sold off parcels of his land, but kept the house and two acres in his family, conveying it to Thomas Sawyer in 1805. The property left the Sawyer family in 1814 after which it changed hands repeatedly from 1868 to 1928 when it was acquired by Tony and Anna Latris. Anna Latris still owned it in 1970, but by 1978 it had been sold to Kenneth and Valerie Arsenault.

Name: The Holihan House

Address: 3 East Street

Date: Built 1935

History: From the late 1880s onward, Edward F. Searles systematically acquired all available property on East and Lawrence Streets in the vicinity his estate "Pine Lodge," to provide privacy and resources for "Pine Lodge" and later for investment (see 209 Lawrence St). In 1896 and 1906, the property on East Street by Locust Road was owned by Searles and called "Oakside Farm." After Searles' death, a plan for the subdivision of "Oakside" was drawn by the Searles Real Estate Trust (Assessor's Plan #380, May 20, 1992). "Oakside" was bounded by East and Lawrence Streets and Beedle Terrace and had 455 lots, averaging 5000 sq. ft. Development restrictions stated that there could be only one house per lot, costing not less than $5000. Houses should be 15 ft. from the lot lines and could have only one garage with not more than two stalls. These restrictions were to be in force until 1972 unless Pine Lodge was discontinued. By 1950, the size of the lots between East Street and Locust Street had been redrawn. In that section, there were five lots, averaging between 26,000 and 40,000 sq. ft.

According to computerized assessor's records, this house was built in 1935. The 1936 Directory list Loyola Holihan as the owner.

Name: The Clifford House

Address: 5 East Street

Date: 1923

The house at 5 East Street was the first 20th-century house built in Oakside between East Street and Locust Road. Computerized assessor's records list the construction date at 1923. The 1936 Directory lists Charles Clifford, attorney working in Lawrence, as the owner.

Name:

Address: 21 East Street

Date: built 1965/6

The house at 21 East Street was built by John F. and Helen B. Callahan who owned 23 East Street and subdivided their lot in 1965. The house was completed in 1966 and cost $12,500 to build.

Name:

Address: 23 East Street

Date: c. 1840,

History: From the late 1880s onward, Edward F. Searles systematically acquired all available property on East and Lawrence Streets in the vicinity his estate "Pine Lodge," often moving older houses to suit his needs (see 209 Lawrence St). In 1896 and 1906, the house at 23 East Street was part of a Searles property called "Oakside Farm." Although the 1846 map shows a house in the vicinity of this site, neither the 1872 or 1884 map shows a house at what is now called 23 East Street. It is presumed that the present house on the site, built c. 1840, is a moved house. Daniel Orr and Charles T. Beedle are listed as living at 23 East Street in 1901/2. Orr was still there in 1936, listed as care taker, "Pine Lodge."

23 East Street possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship and meets the criterion of the National Register of Historic Places.

After Searles' death at plan for the development of "Oakside" was drawn by the Searles Real Estate Trust. (Assessor's Plan #380, May 20, 1992) "Oakside" was bounded by East and Lawrence Streets and Beedle Terrace and had 455 lots, averaging 5000 sq. ft. The house at 23 East Street lay within the bounds of that plan and in 1950 belonged to John Callahan.

Name: Tenney Stock Stable

Address: 30 East Street

Date: 1884

History: One of only two extant buildings on the former C. H. Tenney estate is the stock stable, built in 1884 and shown in the Methuen Transcript January 3, 1885. An extensive description of the layout of the building, its fine interior finish, and the "tally-ho" drive up to the front entrance can be found in this article. The building was designed by the Damon Brothers, architects of Haverhill. C. Willis Damon, was born in Pawtucket, R.I. and died in Haverhill in 1916. He was a graduate of M.I. T. and taught drawing in the Boston Public Schools before joining his brother Charles Page Damon to form the firm of Damon Brothers. C. Wills Damon seems to be the better known of the two and is credited with design of the Haverhill City Hall, Portsmouth Court House and Tilton Seminary in New Hampshire. Locally he was responsible for the Phillips Vestry of the First Congregational Church and a house for Daniel W. Tenney at the corner of Broadway and Pleasant Street.

Charles Tenney was a self-made man who began his career in 1868 when he and his brother J. Milton, opened C. H. Tenney & Company hat factory on Broadway on the site of the Selden Worsted Mills (225 Broadway). In 1883 Charles sold his interest in the local hat company to J. Milton and went to New York. According to the Methuen Transcript, Tenney opened offices in New York and established himself as a wholesale commission agent, handling a very large part of the hat production in the U.S., and selling more than any similar concern in the world. His was one of three great turn-of-the-century estates in Methuen, along with those of Edward F. Searles, and David Nevins.

Name: St. Basil's Seminary

Address: 30 East Street

Date: 1961

History: In 1951, the Tenney family gave 26 acres of the former Charles H. Tenney estate (37 Pleasant St) to the town for the Tenney High School (75 Pleasant St) and sold the rest of the site to the Basilican Salvatorian Order of the Melkite Rite, putting the money in trust for Tenney High School graduates. St. Basil's Seminary and Chapel was built in 1960 at a cost of $275,000 and the Tenney stable (East St) was remodeled beginning in 1966.

Last Updated 9/4/07

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