From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:
This Colonial Revival style building has 1.5 stories, an asphalt shingle roof and has been altered. It is a 2-bay; wood frame with front gable roof with cornice returns. There is a brick center chimney, a cornice between the 2nd floor and attic, a full front porch (rebuilt) with turned posts, and millwork railing. The large picture window is left of the front entrance. There is a 1-story rear ell with secondary entrance on the right side. There are paired 2nd floor windows and broken-eave gable dormers on both the left and right sides.
This simple vernacular house has some decorative elements that show the influence of late 19th century eclectic styles, such as the paired windows in the front gable, the turned porch supports and cornice molding that forms a triangular pediment in the gable.
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:
The house is 1st depicted on the 1911 Sanborn map. If it had been moved to this site, it could be older, but inspection of interior would be needed to ascribe an earlier date than 1906.
This house was built on a portion of the lot owned by Lorenzo Crockett and was constructed after Crockett’s sons Keziah and Wellington sold the bulk of the lot and house standing on it (25 Franklin St) to Matthew Colbert in 1896. A 1904 atlas lists Mrs. Crockett as the owner, so it seems likely that this house was built for her by her sons after her husband’s death.
This was one of the many lots sold by Henry H. Cook in the 1840’s as a building lot. Although the adjoining property mentions subterranean pipes, the deeds on this property during the 1850’s make no mention of them.
This house however, between 1850’s – 1872 housed colorful characters. In 1872 Keziah Crockett bought the house and lot for $1.00 at public auction from Daniel Kendall, the guardian of Freeman Gates. Freeman Gates was declared insane by the court and could no longer hold onto the property. During the time F. Gates owned the property it was sold to Martin Sadler, but no deed was ever received so poor Martin lost out on a house.
- 1848 Henry Gook sold to William F. Gates, willed to Freeman Gates
- 1872 Keziah Crockett
- 1905 Mary E. Bull
- 1920 August & Catherine Roy( 393,596)
- 1937 Lenox Savings Bank foreclose mortgage
- 1941 August A. Roy (491,591)
- 1941 Catherine Ze G. Beneat (497,251)
- 1968 Thomas & Amber Sullivan (870,399)
- 1969 Raymond & Edna Amnett (880,17)
- 1990 Christine S. Ford
BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:
1911 Sanborn Map
Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield, MA 298,129, 393.596, 491.251, 870.399, 880.17
Lenox assessor’s database 2012
