National Register of Historic Places

Browne, Abraham, House

Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
March 9, 1990
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
90000186

About this property

The Abraham Browne House (built c. 1694–1701) is a colonial house located at 562 Main Street, Watertown, Massachusetts, US. It is now a nonprofit museum operated by Historic New England and open to the public. The house was originally a modest one-over-one dwelling. The house features steep roofing and casement windows. During restoration works in 1919, details of 17th century finish were found. The ground floor consists of one large room that is used for living, cooking, and sleeping. By 1919 the house was nearly ruined when it was acquired by William Sumner Appleton, who in 1923 donated it to Historic New England. The house 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. The Abraham Browne house was featured on PBS's This Old House television program.

Location

562 Main St.
Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.37225, -71.20044

Categories

HISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

Gore Place
Industrial
0.5 mi
Childs, Mayor Edwin O., House
Industrial
0.5 mi
Bemis Mill
Industrial
0.5 mi
Evangelical Baptist Church
Industrial
0.6 mi
White, Warren, House
Industrial
0.6 mi

Nearby Battles

Skirmish at Menotomy (Arlington)
1775Revolutionary War
3.7 mi
Battle of Menotomy
1775Revolutionary War
3.7 mi
Siege of Boston – Cambridge Lines
1775Revolutionary War
4.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Browne, Abraham, House listed on the National Register?

Browne, Abraham, House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 9, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Browne, Abraham, House?

Browne, Abraham, House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Browne, Abraham, House?

The period of significance for Browne, Abraham, House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Browne, Abraham, House?

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