Jerathmell Bowers House

Jerathmell Bowers House
Location Lowell, Massachusetts
Coordinates 42°37′50″N 71°21′19″W / 42.63056°N 71.35528°W / 42.63056; -71.35528Coordinates: 42°37′50″N 71°21′19″W / 42.63056°N 71.35528°W / 42.63056; -71.35528
Built 1671
Architect Unknown
Architectural style Other, Colonial
NRHP Reference #

93001588

[1]
Added to NRHP January 28, 1994

The Jerathmell Bowers House, at 150 Wood Street in Lowell, Massachusetts, is the oldest known domestic building in the city. The main block of the 1.5 story wood frame house was built in 1671.[2] The house has been owned by descendants of its builder since then.[3] By the 1800s, the farm covered about 150 acres.[4]

The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.[1]

When built, the house was considered part of Chelmsford, MA. It became part of Lowell when Chelmsford sold Middlesex Village are to Francis Cabot Lowell when he founded Lowell, MA. While part of Chelmsford, it was one of 19 garrison houses used for refuge by citizens during attacks by Native American tribes.[4] The house was used as a distillery.[4][5]

In 2013 there was a proposal to tear down the house to make more room for a new commercial building. The entrance to the new building was proposed to be where this house is located.[6] After advocating to keep the house, by the Lowell Heritage Partnership and Lowell Historical Society, the decision was made to save and stabilize the house. In November 2015 it was reported that the developers of the neighboring shopping center are going to start restoring the home in spring 2016.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2008-04-15). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ Eno, Arthur Louis (1976). Cotton was king: a history of Lowell, Massachusetts. New Hampshire Pub. Company. p. 15. ISBN 9780912274638.
  3. ↑ "MACRIS inventory record for Jerathmell Bowers House". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Lowell's Historic Bowers House at crossroads". www.lowellsun.com. Retrieved 2015-12-07.
  5. ↑ Griffin, Sara Swan (2010-01-01). Quaint Bits of Lowell History; a Few Interesting Stories of Earlier Days. General Books LLC. ISBN 9781152216617.
  6. ↑ Moran, Lyle (2013-12-02). "The Past vs. the Future: Lowell resident opposes razing city's oldest building for bank branch". Lowell Sun. Lowell, MA. Retrieved 2014-07-16.


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