I am pleased to present a Review of the Daniel Lummus House by Matthew Cummings, Cummings Architects in Ipswich. The following will give a prospective antique lover the quality and details of this period home...particularly those who are looking for a prime opportunity to own and hopefully restore a piece of Ipswich's history. As you may recall in my earlier posting, Daniel Lummus came over on the Hannah and settled on High Street which at the time was the location for many tradesmen during the early 1700's. Daniel Lummus was a cabinet maker and to this day there is significant remaining craftmenship in the home that Lummus built. Read the following:
Cummings Architects llc
87 Central St. Ipswich, MA 01938
Phone/fax (978) 356-5026
mat@cummingsarchitects.com
Date: 1 November 2005
Re: Daniel Lummus/1730-50 House
To whom it may concern,
This assessment is approximate only and is not in any way a detailed description of exact physical conditions and/or the historical background of the structure. A site walk was provided by Mathew Cummings with limited time spent and with no physical documentation taken. All information represented in this assessment requires a more thorough site review in order to confirm its contents and should by no means be used as an official, legally binding evaluation of the property.
Date of site visit: 1 October 2004
Name of Structure: Daniel Lummus House
Date Built: 1730-50, second period
Others who attended: Tim Perkins
History: Not included
* Conditions below are described in relationship to other second period homes of similar dates found within Ipswich. As an example, excellent refers to excellent condition for a historic home of a related age and does not refer to today’s building codes or standards.
Conditions of Structure Main Home
NIL
Deteriorated
Adequate
Good
Excellent
Structure
X
Foundation
X
Exterior Details
X
X
Interior Details
X
X
X
Windows
X
X
Chimney working f.p. ?
unknown
Chimney covered f.p.
unknown
Structure: The structure is reasonably intact. The roof is in excellent shape. The attic and second floor seem to be in good shape although the second floor was not visible. The first floor was in good shape and needed little work compared to most homes of its age in Ipswich.
Foundation: The foundation of the original home is in good condition.
Exterior Details: The exterior details have been repaired and/or replaced sporadically. Those areas that have been worked on have been done with reasonable care within the standards of expectations of most Ipswich residences. Not enough time was spent to verify if any original trims are remaining. It is not uncommon to find original rake trim, window trim or bed molding .
Interior Details: The staircase’s details do not seem original to 1730 but it is still historic. The right second floor has original wall paneling around the existing fireplace dating to 1730 +/- and is historically significant. The lower front room has a hidden fireplace behind a partition wall. Its condition is unknown. Original 1730 doors, trim, and hardware can be used as templates for duplication in other areas.
Windows: Not enough time was spent on these, however the original windows do seem to be in place and their openings and some trim remain.
Chimneys: There are two chimneys with fire places. The brick work that is visible looks in reasonable condition. A closer look with a mason must be done to understand the quality of the remaining brick and the condition of the working fireplaces.
Overall: The base of the main home is in good condition compared to other historic homes of the same age. The interior finishes and layout have been compromised but is not beyond repair. The main home has a very good base for restoration without significant costs to any buyer due to the good condition of the structure itself. The interior layout and the interior trim are also restorable with enough existing remnants of details to use as templates.
Conditions of Structure Right Ell
NIL
Deteriorated
Adequate
Good
Excellent
Structure
X
Foundation
X
Exterior Details
X
Interior Details
X
Windows
X
Structure: The structure is in generally good condition compared to others of the same age. The first floor framing may be to close to grade or possibly even sitting upon the earth itself which is common and may compromise the floor structure.
Foundation: This seems to be of the rubble type and possibly deteriorating.
Exterior Details: The exterior details are entirely intact but need care.
Interior Details: Original doors and trim are throughout. Low ceilings and juxtaposition rooms are common for this era and are apparent.
Windows: The windows may be original but further review is required.
Overall: This portion of the home is in overall good condition. It may be used for utility areas such as kitchen, mudroom, garage area at front connected to it, etc. Work may need to occur to some extent at the first floor with excavation and foundation work to resolve any first floor issues.
Conditions of Structure Rear Ell
NIL
Deteriorated
Adequate
Good
Excellent
Structure
X
Foundation
X
Exterior Details
X
Interior Details
X
X
Windows
X
Structure: This structure was not built to be a permanent building. Regardless, the good construction quality provided by its builder(s) has allowed it to last until today. If saved, it requires a thorough review of its structural elements. It is possible that the structure(s) may not be able to be saved.
Foundation: The foundation is sporadic. What does exist does not meet today’s expectations and a new or rebuilt foundation is required.
Exterior Details: The exterior details are sporadic and at times deteriorated. The exterior details for this structure are easy to replace and are generally not costly.
Interior Details: An existing outhouse and bead board was found. Further review may reveal a better story to this structure explaining how the previous owners lived.
Windows: More review is required.
Overall: The footprint of this structure is important to save allowing future work to occur as per zoning. The existing structure may be reused with ingenuity as a shed, outside/ inside space connected to the rear yard with an amazing outcome if well thought out.
Overall thoughts of the entire home and its property:
Cummings Architects has become one of the premier architecture firms sought out for projects exactly of this type. We have worked on many homes on High Street in Ipswich, and have experienced almost all possible conditions for homes of this age. The Daniel Lummus House, overall, is in good condition compared to others requiring restoration. The structure of the main home is in better condition than most prior to restoration and does have some trim and details remaining to use as templates. Two chimneys with fireplaces (verify conditions) still remain. The second floor right front room holds original paneling, possibly built by the original owner, which today is priceless and sought after, and is surely deserving of covenants for preservation. The property is large and misused. Better land use by excavating the immediate earth adjacent to the home will preserve the existing home and provide a wonderful exterior space for family use or any gathering activities. A small garden wall separating this lower exterior space from an upper level yard space would allow for very large open gatherings. The Daniel Lummus House has the possibility to become a jewel piece as a completely restored, significantly historic home. With such a historic home, modern amenities and a large usable property in a desirable community, it could also be a wise long term financial investment.
Mathew D. Cummings AIA
Registered Architect
87 Central Street
Ipswich, Ma
Monday, November 07, 2005
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