James Blake House

The James Blake House is the oldest surviving house in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The house was built in 1661 and the date was confirmed by dendrochronology in 2007.[1] Dorchester Atheneum. Retrieved on 2017-09-13. It is located at 735 Columbia Road, in Edward Everett Square, and just a block from Massachusetts Avenue. The Dorchester Historical Society now owns the building and tours are given on the third Sunday of the month.

Not to be confused with James Backhouse (botanist, 1825–1890); James Backhouse; James Backhouse Walker; or James A. Beck House.
James Blake House
James Blake House is located in Massachusetts
James Blake House
LocationBoston, MA
Coordinates42°19′10.71″N 71°3′37.05″W
Built1661[1]
NRHP reference No.74002350 [2]
Added to NRHPMay 1, 1974

History

The house was built in a Western English style of post-medieval architecture by James Blake, an immigrant from England. The Blake family owned the house until 1825 when it was acquired by the Williams family. In 1891, the City of Boston acquired the house.[3] In order to save the house from demolition in 1896, the Dorchester Historical Society acquired the property from the city and moved the house less than 500 feet from its original location by Massachusetts Avenue to its current location. In 1978, the interior and exterior of the house were designated as a Boston Landmark by the Boston Landmarks Commission.

The immediate area, as well as the house, have been undergoing an extensive renovation and preservation. The house was completely re-shingled and the grounds improved.

  • Exterior, 1898
    Exterior, 1898
  • "Ye Olde Blake House," 1920
    "Ye Olde Blake House," 1920
  • Interior
    Interior
  • Edward A. Huebner brick collection
    Edward A. Huebner brick collection

See also

References
  1. "Massachusetts: Blake House". Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  3. "NRHP nomination for James Blake House". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-06-09.


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