Knowledge (XXG)

Headquarters House (Boston)

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128: 86: 1173: 103: 153: 395:. Originally, the structures were free-standing and would have had a water view (before the filling of the area that is now the Boston Public Garden). They were the height of fashion in the Early Republic. Prescott purchased his house in 1845 and after his death, his wife sold it to cousins, the Dexters. They made significant changes to the house: updating the stairwell, adding an elevator and reconfiguring Prescott's library into a dining room. 1185: 717: 373:. Still nearly mirror images of one another, they are four stories in height and three bays wide. The outer two bays of each unit are part of a rounded bay front, delineated by pilasters rising from the top of the first story porch to the roof. The porch is supported by a Doric colonnade, and follows the line of the rounded bays. The doorways are in the innermost bays, flanked by sidelight windows and topped by a fanlight. 1162: 160: 135: 110: 422: 1260: 800: 1108: 1103: 1098: 731: 796: 776: 771: 766: 736: 786: 756: 658: 440: 791: 781: 761: 741: 1130: 751: 746: 1135: 1083: 963: 917: 850: 1013: 988: 948: 876: 845: 824: 1093: 1029: 998: 953: 938: 933: 1088: 993: 983: 886: 1003: 978: 968: 943: 896: 881: 871: 855: 829: 410:
received great acclaim both in the United States and in Europe. Due to his blindness (caused by an incident during a bar brawl), he employed researchers and secretaries to acquire documents and prepare his manuscripts.
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The houses' original owner was James Smith Colburn, a successful Boston merchant. He commissioned Asher Benjamin to build the double town houses on land he purchased from the
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for use as its headquarters, a role it still serves. The Dames restored Prescott's study to its original state in 1968, based on historical documents.
102: 691: 345:. It is the left-hand portion of a double townhouse at 54–55 Beacon Street, seen in the photograph. The townhouse, built in 1808 to a design by 470: 403: 50: 1270: 406:
in 1966, for its association with Prescott, who gained a reputation for his books on Spanish (and Spanish colonial) history. His 1837
1215: 1210: 380:, a nearly blind historian from a prominent Boston family, who lived there from 1845 to 1859. Prescott had celebrated novelist 357:(1796–1859), one of the nation's first historians. The house is now a museum operated by the Massachusetts chapter of the 271: 1230: 381: 1235: 399: 350: 68: 59: 85: 1220: 377: 354: 502: 392: 636: 686: 414:
One of the two units (possibly both) is memorialized as a Victorian dollhouse at the Cayuga Art Museum in
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as a houseguest. That unit was acquired in 1944 by the Massachusetts chapter of the
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Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Suffolk County, Massachusetts
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National Register of Historic Places listings in northern Boston, Massachusetts
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Of the two units depicted here, the Prescott House is the one on the left.
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Historic district contributing properties in Massachusetts
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U.S. National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
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Built in 1808, the twin houses were designed by architect
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List of National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts
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History of the National Register of Historic Places
674: 633:– National Society of the Colonial Dames of America 361:, which purchased it for its headquarters in 1944. 316: 308: 300: 295: 282: 267: 257: 249: 241: 233: 225: 188: 176: 159: 134: 109: 1256:National Society of the Colonial Dames of America 386:National Society of the Colonial Dames of America 359:National Society of the Colonial Dames of America 1178:National Register of Historic Places portal 1266:National Register of Historic Places in Boston 27:Historic house in Massachusetts, United States 652: 376:The left side, 55 Beacon Street is named for 8: 333:, is an historic house museum located at 55 814: 659: 645: 637: 499:National Historic Landmark summary listing 84: 18:Headquarters House (Boston, Massachusetts) 51:U.S. National Register of Historic Places 580:"Chapter IV: On the Prim, Decorous Hill" 489: 487: 485: 69:U.S. National Historic Landmark District 1241:Historic house museums in Massachusetts 557:"NHL nomination for Headquarters House" 524: 522: 520: 501:. National Park Service. Archived from 452: 466:"National Register Information System" 460: 458: 456: 425:The house in a photo published in 1912 34: 1246:Literary museums in the United States 1226:National Historic Landmarks in Boston 551: 549: 547: 7: 471:National Register of Historic Places 404:National Register of Historic Places 25: 606:"William Hickling Prescott House" 530:"William Hickling Prescott House" 408:History of the Conquest of Mexico 353:in 1964 for its association with 1183: 1171: 1161: 1160: 715: 398:The house was designated a U.S. 158: 151: 133: 126: 108: 101: 631:William Hickling Prescott House 327:William Hickling Prescott House 262:William Hickling Prescott House 60:U.S. National Historic Landmark 284: 1: 272:Beacon Hill Historic District 167:Show map of the United States 32:United States historic place 1141:National Historic Landmarks 578:Shackleton, Robert (1916). 495:"William H. Prescott House" 402:in 1964, and was listed on 382:William Makepeace Thackeray 1287: 1136:Cape Cod National Seashore 400:National Historic Landmark 351:National Historic Landmark 1271:Homes of American writers 1156: 713: 586:. Penn Publishing Company 378:William Hickling Prescott 355:William Hickling Prescott 283:NRHP reference  142:Show map of Massachusetts 95: 83: 79: 66: 57: 48: 43:William H. Prescott House 41: 37: 1216:Asher Benjamin buildings 1211:Houses completed in 1808 1190:United States portal 393:Mount Vernon Proprietors 250:Architectural style 559:. National Park Service 365:Description and history 210:42.356556°N 71.068250°W 687:Keeper of the Register 426: 317:Designated NHLDCP 702:National Park Service 682:Contributing property 476:National Park Service 424: 343:Boston, Massachusetts 215:42.356556; -71.068250 183:Boston, Massachusetts 73:Contributing Property 329:, also known as the 1231:Beacon Hill, Boston 349:, was designated a 309:Designated NHL 206: /  584:The Book of Boston 427: 331:Headquarters House 229:less than one acre 117:Show map of Boston 1236:Museums in Boston 1198: 1197: 1119: 1118: 818:Barnstable County 692:Historic district 324: 323: 312:December 29, 1964 296:Significant dates 180:55 Beacon Street, 16:(Redirected from 1278: 1221:Houses in Boston 1188: 1187: 1186: 1176: 1175: 1174: 1164: 1163: 1077:Worcester County 927:Middlesex County 815: 719: 661: 654: 647: 638: 618: 617: 615: 613: 602: 596: 595: 593: 591: 575: 569: 568: 566: 564: 553: 542: 541: 539: 537: 526: 515: 514: 512: 510: 491: 480: 479: 462: 416:Auburn, New York 320:October 15, 1966 304:October 15, 1966 286: 221: 220: 218: 217: 216: 211: 207: 204: 203: 202: 199: 168: 162: 161: 155: 143: 137: 136: 130: 118: 112: 111: 105: 88: 35: 21: 1286: 1285: 1281: 1280: 1279: 1277: 1276: 1275: 1201: 1200: 1199: 1194: 1184: 1182: 1172: 1170: 1152: 1115: 1072: 1044: 1018: 922: 906: 860: 834: 806: 725:Lists by county 720: 711: 670: 665: 627: 622: 621: 611: 609: 604: 603: 599: 589: 587: 577: 576: 572: 562: 560: 555: 554: 545: 535: 533: 528: 527: 518: 508: 506: 505:on June 6, 2011 493: 492: 483: 478:. July 9, 2010. 464: 463: 454: 449: 432: 367: 245:Benjamin, Asher 214: 212: 208: 205: 200: 197: 195: 193: 192: 181: 172: 171: 170: 169: 166: 165: 164: 163: 146: 145: 144: 141: 140: 139: 138: 121: 120: 119: 116: 115: 114: 113: 91: 75: 71: 62: 53: 44: 33: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1284: 1282: 1274: 1273: 1268: 1263: 1258: 1253: 1248: 1243: 1238: 1233: 1228: 1223: 1218: 1213: 1203: 1202: 1196: 1195: 1193: 1192: 1180: 1168: 1157: 1154: 1153: 1151: 1150: 1149: 1148: 1138: 1133: 1127: 1125: 1121: 1120: 1117: 1116: 1114: 1113: 1112: 1111: 1106: 1101: 1091: 1086: 1080: 1078: 1074: 1073: 1071: 1070: 1069: 1068: 1063: 1052: 1050: 1049:Suffolk County 1046: 1045: 1043: 1042: 1037: 1032: 1026: 1024: 1023:Norfolk County 1020: 1019: 1017: 1016: 1011: 1006: 1001: 996: 991: 986: 981: 976: 971: 966: 961: 956: 951: 946: 941: 936: 930: 928: 924: 923: 921: 920: 914: 912: 911:Hampden County 908: 907: 905: 904: 899: 894: 889: 884: 879: 874: 868: 866: 862: 861: 859: 858: 853: 848: 842: 840: 839:Bristol County 836: 835: 833: 832: 827: 821: 819: 812: 808: 807: 805: 804: 794: 789: 784: 779: 774: 769: 764: 759: 754: 749: 744: 739: 734: 728: 726: 722: 721: 714: 712: 710: 709: 707:Property types 704: 699: 694: 689: 684: 678: 676: 672: 671: 666: 664: 663: 656: 649: 641: 635: 634: 626: 625:External links 623: 620: 619: 597: 570: 543: 516: 481: 451: 450: 448: 445: 444: 443: 438: 431: 428: 371:Asher Benjamin 366: 363: 347:Asher Benjamin 322: 321: 318: 314: 313: 310: 306: 305: 302: 298: 297: 293: 292: 287: 280: 279: 269: 265: 264: 259: 255: 254: 251: 247: 246: 243: 239: 238: 235: 231: 230: 227: 223: 222: 190: 186: 185: 178: 174: 173: 157: 156: 150: 149: 148: 147: 132: 131: 125: 124: 123: 122: 107: 106: 100: 99: 98: 97: 96: 93: 92: 89: 81: 80: 77: 76: 67: 64: 63: 58: 55: 54: 49: 46: 45: 42: 39: 38: 31: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1283: 1272: 1269: 1267: 1264: 1262: 1259: 1257: 1254: 1252: 1249: 1247: 1244: 1242: 1239: 1237: 1234: 1232: 1229: 1227: 1224: 1222: 1219: 1217: 1214: 1212: 1209: 1208: 1206: 1191: 1181: 1179: 1169: 1167: 1159: 1158: 1155: 1147: 1144: 1143: 1142: 1139: 1137: 1134: 1132: 1129: 1128: 1126: 1122: 1110: 1107: 1105: 1102: 1100: 1097: 1096: 1095: 1092: 1090: 1087: 1085: 1082: 1081: 1079: 1075: 1067: 1064: 1062: 1059: 1058: 1057: 1054: 1053: 1051: 1047: 1041: 1038: 1036: 1033: 1031: 1028: 1027: 1025: 1021: 1015: 1012: 1010: 1007: 1005: 1002: 1000: 997: 995: 992: 990: 987: 985: 982: 980: 977: 975: 972: 970: 967: 965: 962: 960: 957: 955: 952: 950: 947: 945: 942: 940: 937: 935: 932: 931: 929: 925: 919: 916: 915: 913: 909: 903: 900: 898: 895: 893: 890: 888: 885: 883: 880: 878: 875: 873: 870: 869: 867: 863: 857: 854: 852: 849: 847: 844: 843: 841: 837: 831: 828: 826: 823: 822: 820: 816: 813: 811:Lists by city 809: 802: 798: 795: 793: 790: 788: 785: 783: 780: 778: 775: 773: 770: 768: 765: 763: 760: 758: 755: 753: 750: 748: 745: 743: 740: 738: 735: 733: 730: 729: 727: 723: 718: 708: 705: 703: 700: 698: 695: 693: 690: 688: 685: 683: 680: 679: 677: 673: 669: 662: 657: 655: 650: 648: 643: 642: 639: 632: 629: 628: 624: 607: 601: 598: 585: 581: 574: 571: 558: 552: 550: 548: 544: 531: 525: 523: 521: 517: 504: 500: 496: 490: 488: 486: 482: 477: 473: 472: 467: 461: 459: 457: 453: 446: 442: 439: 437: 434: 433: 429: 423: 419: 417: 412: 409: 405: 401: 396: 394: 389: 387: 383: 379: 374: 372: 364: 362: 360: 356: 352: 348: 344: 340: 336: 335:Beacon Street 332: 328: 319: 315: 311: 307: 303: 301:Added to NRHP 299: 294: 291: 288: 281: 277: 273: 270: 266: 263: 260: 256: 252: 248: 244: 240: 236: 232: 228: 224: 219: 191: 187: 184: 179: 175: 154: 129: 104: 94: 87: 82: 78: 74: 70: 65: 61: 56: 52: 47: 40: 36: 30: 19: 1109:southwestern 1104:northwestern 865:Essex County 612:February 17, 610:. 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NSCDA-MA 590:January 4, 509:January 4, 447:References 276:ID66000130 201:71°4′5.7″W 1094:Worcester 1030:Brookline 999:Wakefield 954:Lexington 939:Cambridge 934:Arlington 797:Worcester 777:Nantucket 772:Middlesex 767:Hampshire 737:Berkshire 242:Architect 1166:Category 1089:Uxbridge 1066:southern 1061:northern 994:Stoneham 984:Sherborn 887:Lawrence 801:northern 787:Plymouth 757:Franklin 430:See also 290:66000765 177:Location 1131:Bridges 1099:eastern 1004:Waltham 979:Reading 969:Medford 944:Concord 897:Methuen 882:Ipswich 872:Andover 856:Taunton 830:Harwich 792:Suffolk 782:Norfolk 762:Hampden 742:Bristol 268:Part of 258:Website 253:Federal 1146:Boston 1056:Boston 1040:Quincy 1035:Milton 1009:Weston 974:Newton 959:Lowell 675:Topics 902:Salem 752:Essex 747:Dukes 234:Built 892:Lynn 614:2015 592:2009 565:2015 538:2015 511:2009 237:1808 226:Area 341:in 337:on 285:No. 1207:: 582:. 546:^ 519:^ 497:. 484:^ 474:. 468:. 455:^ 418:. 803:) 799:( 660:e 653:t 646:v 616:. 594:. 567:. 540:. 513:. 278:) 274:( 20:)

Index

Headquarters House (Boston, Massachusetts)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property

Headquarters House (Boston) is located in Boston
Headquarters House (Boston) is located in Massachusetts
Headquarters House (Boston) is located in the United States
Boston, Massachusetts
42°21′23.6″N 71°4′5.7″W / 42.356556°N 71.068250°W / 42.356556; -71.068250
William Hickling Prescott House
Beacon Hill Historic District
ID66000130
66000765
Beacon Street
Beacon Hill
Boston, Massachusetts
Asher Benjamin
National Historic Landmark
William Hickling Prescott
National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
Asher Benjamin
William Hickling Prescott
William Makepeace Thackeray
National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
Mount Vernon Proprietors
National Historic Landmark
National Register of Historic Places
Auburn, New York

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