8 Woodbury Ct. inventory form (MHC)Inventory No:SAL.3945
Historic Name:Brown,Susan -Sawyer,Mary E.
House
Common Name:
Address:8 Woodbury Ct
City/Town:Salem
Village/Neighborhood:Bridge Street;Salem Common;
Local No:36-0005;
Year Constructed:1849
Architectural Style(s):No style;
Use(s):Single Family Dwelling House;
Significance:Architecture;
Area(s):SAL.IV
Designation(s):Nat'l Register District (07/19/2002);
Building Materials:Roof:Asphalt Shingle;
Wall:Wood;Wood Shingle;
Foundation:Brick;
Demolished No
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This file was accessed on:Thursday,February 29,2024 at 9:17 AM
NRDIS 7/19/2002
Follow Massachusetts Historical Commission Survey Manual instructions for completing this form. 3/10
FORM B BUILDING
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Photograph
Locus Map
Recorded by: Lisa Mausolf
Organization: City of Salem
Date (month / year): July 2011
Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number
36-0005 Salem IV SAL.3945
Town/City: Salem
Place: (neighborhood or village):
Bridge Street Neck
Address: 8 Woodbury Court
Historic Name: Brown-Sawyer House
Uses: Present: single family dwelling house
Original: single family dwelling house
Date of Construction: 1849
Source: deeds
Style/Form:
Architect/Builder: unknown
Exterior Material:
Foundation: brick
Wall/Trim: wood shingle
Roof: asphalt shingle
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
none
Major Alterations (with dates):
Condition: good
Moved: no yes Date:
Acreage: 0.04 acre
Setting: mixed residential neighborhood, small
residential court off Northey Street
RECEIVED
SEPT 01 2011
MASS. HIST. COMM.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET SALEM 8 WOODBURY COURT
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
IV SAL.3945
Recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
If checked, you must attach a completed National Register Criteria Statement form.
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:
Describe architectural features. Evaluate the characteristics of this building in terms of other buildings within the community.
The house at 8 Woodbury Court is a modest 1 ½-story, 4 x 3-bay cottage measuring 21’ x 28’ and oriented with its gable end to
the street. The house is set on a (painted) brick foundation and the sloping site leaves nearly a full story basement on the
southwest side. The exterior walls are clad in wood shingles. The eaves are close with shallow returns and a brick chimney
rises from the south slope of the gable roof, near the ridge. The building is set on a sloping site with nearly a full story basement
on the southwest side. The off-center main entrance on the southwest elevation contains a wooden door with recessed
horizontal and square panels. It is fronted by a wooden stoop with landing and stairs descending to the southeast. Windows for
the most part contain wooden double-hung 2/2 sash with molded surrounds and shutters. There is a 6/6 window punctuating the
brick basement to the west of the entrance and a 3 x 2-light basement window facing the street.
This house is a contributing property in the Bridge Street Neck Historic District, listed on the National Register on July 19, 2002.
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
Discuss the history of the building. Explain its associations with local (or state) history. Include uses of the building, and the role(s) the
owners/occupants played within the community.
Woodbury Court was laid out by Israel Woodbury, housewright, through land he purchased from Abijah Northey in 1809. He had
built four houses on the road by 1832. The lot on which this house stands was sold by Ezra Woodbury, a carpenter, to Susan
Brown on October 3, 1849 for $125 (Book 418, Page 227). On October 24, 1849 Susan Brown sold the property to Paul Kimball
of Wenham (Book 418, Page 278). The deed specifically mentions “a new building now on the said land”, an apparent reference
to this house.
In 1866 Henry and Huldah Tarr of Wenham sold the property back to Susan Brown (now Susan A. Johnson) of Boston. Mrs.
Tarr had inherited the property from her father, Paul Kimball. Almost immediately Andrew and Susan Johnson conveyed the
property to Mary Sawyer, a widow (Book 702, Page 46). In 1880 Mary Sawyer, age 63, was living here with her son William, a
48 year old carpenter, and daughter Mary, a 32 year old shoe stitcher. In 1900 the household consisted of 49 year old William, a
roofer, his wife Sarah who was born in England, a son Clarence, daughter Alice and Mary Sawyer, now 54 and still working as a
shoe stitcher. In 1920 William and Sarah were still living here with Alice, Clarence and William’s sister Mary. In 1922 Mary E.
Sawyer conveyed the property to her sister-in-law Sara. The property remained in the Sawyer family until 1974 when it was sold
by Elie and Edith Theriault to Raymond and Mary Real. Elie and Edith lived at 27 Lemon Street and used this as a rental
property.
BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES
Essex County Registry of Deeds, Salem, Massachusetts.
Hopkins, G.M. Atlas of Salem, Massachusetts. Philadelphia: 1874.
McIntyre, Henry, C.E. Map of the City of Salem. Philadelphia: 1851.
Richards, L.J. Atlas of the City of Salem, Massachusetts. 1897.
Salem Directories, various dates.
U.S. Census, 1830-1930.
Walker Lithograph and Publishing Company. Atlas of the City of Salem, Massachusetts. Boston: 1911.