Fairbanks House, Dedham, Mass.

Description

One albumen print of the Fairbanks House in Dedham, Massachusetts. The photographer is unknown. The print is dated to the late 19th century and measures 7 x 10 inches. An unidentified man is seen sitting on the ground in front of the house. The house was built circa 1637, making it the oldest surviving timber-frame house in North America. It was built by Puritan settler Jonathan Fairbanks for his wife Grace and their family. Eight generations of the Fairbanks family lived in this house until the early 20th century. Today, the house serves as a museum.

On the verso of the mount, the following is written: "Dedham (1636) / Fairbanks House from field. 'Man modern.'" In a different hand, the phrase "from Baker, October, 1952." is written along the right side of the verso. A small newspaper clipping from Summer 1892 which reads: "At Dedham Brooks's chocolate factory on / Eastern was struck and slightly dam- / aged, and one end of the Fairbanks House at / the corner of Eastern avenue and East street / was badly shattered. A dog under a bed occu- / pied by Miss Rebecca Fairbanks in a sleeping / room on the lower floor was instantly killed, / but Miss Fairbanks escaped injury. The house / is the oldest building in Dedham. It was erect- / ed in 1636 by Jonathan Fairbanks, the first of / the name in Dedham, and it has never passed / from the possession of the family, Miss Fair- / banks, to the present owner, being of the seventh generation in direct descent from Jonathan. / It is possible that the house is so badly injured / that it may have to be torn down."