Bellingham–Cary House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bellingham–Cary House
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 34 Parker St., Chelsea, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 1.2 acres (0.49 ha) |
| Built | 1724 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000908 |
| Added to NRHP | September 06, 1974 |
The Bellingham–Cary House is a very old and special house located at 34 Parker Street in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Today, it is a historic house museum, which means people can visit it to learn about the past. The house was built in 1724. It might even include parts of a hunting lodge from 1659! That lodge belonged to an early governor named Richard Bellingham. This house is the only building left in Chelsea from the 1700s. Because it is so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Contents
What is the Bellingham–Cary House?
The Bellingham–Cary House is in a neighborhood in northeastern Chelsea. It is a two-story building made of wood. It has a special roof shape called a "truncated hip roof" and two chimneys inside. The outside is covered with clapboards, which are long, thin pieces of wood.
The front of the house has five sections, with the main door in the middle. The door has fancy columns next to it and a window above it. The roof has three small windows on the front and one on each side. A two-story section extends from the back of the house.
Who was Richard Bellingham?
Richard Bellingham was an important person from England. He helped create the Massachusetts Bay Company. This company officially started the Massachusetts Bay Colony and founded Boston in 1630. Bellingham came to Boston in 1634. He served three times as the governor of the colony. He passed away in 1672.
Soon after he arrived, Bellingham bought most of the land that is now Chelsea. He also bought a ferry service that went between Chelsea and Boston. In 1659, he built a hunting lodge on his land. This lodge became his summer home.
The Cary Family and the House's Changes
After Governor Bellingham passed away, a part of his land, including the house, eventually went to the Cary family in 1741. The Cary family made the house bigger several times. Around 1791, Samuel Cary greatly expanded the house. This is how it got its current look.
After Samuel Cary and his wife passed away, most of the farm land was sold. It was used to build new homes and businesses. However, the house itself stayed in the Cary family until 1914.
Saving the House
In 1914, a local non-profit group was formed to protect the Bellingham–Cary House. This group is called the Governor Bellingham–Cary House Association. They have owned and cared for the house ever since.
The house won the Massachusetts Historical Commission Preservation Award in 2006. This award recognizes efforts to save important historical places. In 2008, scientists used a method called dendrochronology to study the wood in the house. They found that the oldest part of the house was built in 1724.
Gallery
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Bellingham–Cary House, 34 Parker Street, Chelsea, Mass.,[October 28, 1920]. Leon Abdalian Collection, Boston Public Library
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Bellingham–Cary House, 34 Parker Street, Chelsea, Mass., 28 October 1920. Leon Abdalian Collection, Boston Public Library
See also
- List of the oldest buildings in Massachusetts
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Suffolk County, Massachusetts
