Quincy, Mass. Historical and Architectural Survey

39 Bradford Street

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Bradford Street was laid out in the 1890's and this Three Decker at Number 39 was built on land belonging to the William L. Saunders family from at least 1897 to before 1923. Saunders, a stonecutter, was a partner in Long & Saunders, located at 2 Penn Street, a firm that designed and manufactured statuary, monument, tablets, headstones, curbing and posts and was large enough to sustain branch works at Stoughton and Beverly, Mass. According to the Atlas of 1923, the new owner of 39 Bradford Street was Bridget Murphy, the widow of Timothy Murphy, a granite worker, who also owned and lived in 27 Bradford Street.

Included in the early residents of this house were a pharmacist, George A. Bolster, from 1915 to 1922, a lather, Thomas Macteer, in 1922, a chauffeur, Fred F. Berry, in 1927, a carpenter, Neil A. Young, in 1927, and a printer, Joseph O. Fortier, from 1930 to 1935. Also, in 1935, Bridget Murphy, the owner, was in residence.

Number 39 Bradford Street is situated just off Adams Square which fronts on the historic John Adams Birthplace, 133 Franklin Street, and John Quincy Adams Birthplace, 141 Franklin Street, which are located on a large (23,756 square feet) property owned by the National Park Service. Adjoining historic Franklin Street, this property is one of three Bradford Street residences included in the Adams Birthplace Local Historic District.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES
Assessors Records.
Robinson's Atlas of Norfolk County, Mass., 1888.
Atlas of the City of Quincy, 1897.
Atlas of the City of Quincy, 1907.
Atlas of the City of Quincy, 1923.
Arthur J. Krim. Three-Deckers of Dorchester: An Architectural Historical Survey. Boston Redevelopment Authority, Boston Landmarks Commission, 1977.
Quincy City Directories, 1888, 1898, 1910, 1915, 1922, 1927, 1930, 1935.

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:
"By the turn of the century, the basic form of the three-decker had been perfected and standarized. The term Early Classic is applied to this period, 1900-1910, because it was at this time that the three-decker began to reach the peak of its most popular, familiar, and clearly identifiable form." (Krim, p. 22) Set on a granite foundation, the three-decker at 39 Bradford Street has many of the characteristics of this period, a multi-storied porch with columnar supports and elaborate turned railings, bay windows and a simple cornice above the third floor balcony. The past Queen Anne period can be seen in the vestigial corner brackets. Originally sided in wood, it is now clad in aluminum siding. It is one of two three-deckers in the Adams Birthplace Local Historic District.

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