REGIONAL

Newton's oldest home hits the market: Thomas Hammond House for sale for nearly $8 million

Joanna K. Tzouvelis
wickedlocal.com

The historic Lieutenant Thomas Hammond House, 9 Old Orchard Road, Newton, is coming on the market this month for nearly $8 million. It is possibly the oldest house in the city of Newton with only four owners since it was built circa 1714.

The saltbox/colonial revival — with more than 7,400 square feet of living space, seven bedrooms, seven full and two half bathrooms — has undergone a complete transformation, but its original historic First Period and Georgian architectural features were preserved as it was modernized. It is listed by Coldwell Banker Realtor Ellen Karp.

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History of the home

In March 2020, 9 Old Orchard Road in Newton, located directly across from Boston College's upper campus, was purchased by developers, 9 Old Orchard LLC for $1,470,000.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. According to records in the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, it is recorded as one of the 20 oldest houses in the United States.

The property at 9 Old Orchard Road in Newton, a historic house known as the Hammond House, has been placed on the National Register of Historic Place, Dec. 1, 2022.

The first owner of 9 Old Orchard Road was Thomas Hammond, one Newton’s first 20 settlers. He originally lived in Hingham and started purchasing property in Newton and Brookline in 1650. According to MACRIS, Hammond owned 1,000 acres of land in Newton, which his family farmed for nearly two centuries. Three dwellings originally stood on the land and 9 Old Orchard Road the only one that remains. The home was originally built as a two-room saltbox structure and expanded as the family grew and funds were available.

The Hammond House has undergone a complete transformation, but its original historic First Period and Georgian architectural features were preserved.

The Hammonds were also active in local affairs and the events of the Revolutionary War, including the Boston Tea Party and battles of Lexington and Concord, according to the Massachusetts Historical Commission. There is a main road and pond in Newton and Chestnut Hill named after the Hammond family.

Thomas was married to Sarah Griffin and then later to Ann Farley. He had seven children between his two wives. He was a lieutenant who served in a number of positions in the militia. When Thomas died in 1675, his son, Joseph, took over the property and in 1782, sold it to his son, Thomas for 600 pounds. At the time, it consisted of 40 acres of land with buildings. Thomas married Sarah Winchester of Brookline and they had 12 children.

According to the 1798 Direct Tax Record, Thomas owned the home and 60 acres of land valued at $1,910. He served as Hogreeve and Surveyor of Highways for Newton. In 1811, he sold the property to another family member, William Stone for $3,000. The property had expanded to include 79 acres with a house, barn and other buildings.

The family room in the Hammond House.

Members of the extended Hammond family continued to own the property until 1841 when the Woodman family bought it from the Fuller family and kept it until 1919.

The Woodmans were developers of the neighborhood in the 1900s. They broke up and sold off portions of the property by the 1890s. By the 1860s, Chestnut Hill was settled by a close-knit group of Boston upper class families who were attracted to the lush country so close to the city.

In 1919, 9 Old Orchard Road was purchased by William and Dorothy Colburn for $2,000. They undertook a substantial renovation and restoration of the home, working with renowned American architect Joseph Everett Chandler. Chandler also worked on the Paul Revere house and the Old State House in Boston.

During the restoration, they added on to the home. They later worked with another architect in 1930, Harold Field Kellog, and added two large wings with an attached garage.

A niche for artwork off the Great Room in the Hammond House.

Preserved historic features

There are seven fireplaces in the home, all original.  Some of the mantles and surrounds have been updated.

All of the home’s First Period details such as the summer beams, bread oven, wide panel pine floors, have been preserved.

The main entrance leads to a 15-by-22-foot grand foyer with a black metal candelabra chandelier.

The first floor living room is 24-by-35 feet and has ornate crown molding including archways with keystones and niches.

There are French doors which lead to the outdoor patio/kitchen as well as double pocket doors at the entrance of the room that fold closed for privacy.

The living room, known as the Great Room, at 9 Old Orchard Road in Newton, Dec. 1, 2022.

Modern features

No stone was left unturned when it comes to the updates added to the historic Hammond house which blend in with the preserved historic features. Every room has been updated and many modern features added such as a mudroom, walk-in closets, ensuite bathrooms, skylights and cathedral ceilings.

The state-of-the-art gourmet 20-by-45-foot kitchen has an oversized island and La Cornue French range and oven for serious cooks, a wheel pull-down faucet, Wolf microwave, double oven, bar fridge, farm sink. There is also a separate pantry with another sink, dishwasher and counterspace for food preparation.

A large outdoor kitchen patio has been added to the back of the home off of the kitchen, perfect for al fresco dining and entertaining.

The Hammond House's original wooden beams are shown on the home's ground floor.

The home also has been updated with nine zones of central air and heat.

The light fixtures are unique and contemporary.

There is an office and library on the first floor with built-in shelving.

A view of the Hammond House's upper level.

All the second-floor bedrooms are generously sized and have their own bathrooms. The primary bedroom on the second floor is 24-by-34 feet with a cathedral ceiling, sitting area and walk-in closet/dressing room.

The 3,000-square-foot lower level could be finished for an additional fee.

For more information, contact Karp at 617-620-0160.