Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-09-04
4aisselIaneous.


NrpFoxp. Mass Erected A. D.. 1884
This time-hon0red stronghold of the
early settlers Is one of The Oldest buildings
- New England. Drake. in his historic
Fields and Mansions Of Middlescx, COM
ments on its great antiquity thus:
.sWheu Il was built Charles ]. reigned
IN Old England, and Cromwell had not
begun his great career. Peter the Great
wss not then born. and the house was
waxing in years when Frederick the Great
appeared on the stage. Compared with
IL erection, IT seems like recent events
when Louis XVI. suffered By the axe Of
the guiIIotine, and Napoleon IN rose in
splendor to set in obscurity. The Indian,
who witnessed its slowly ascending walls
With wonder and misgiving; the English
man whose axe awakened new echsSes IN
the primeyal forest; the cnlonists native
10 the soil. who batiled and died within
view. to found a new nati"n-all have
passed away. But here in tbi. old man
sion Is the silent evidence OF those great
epochs Of history"
The building stands upon land slightly
elevated, and overlooking the valley Of
the Mys,ic. The site was granted TO
Gov. Cradek's coIonists by the General
Court of Massachusetts. in The month Of
March, 1854, and the erection of the
''lorf." as it is often called. begun imme-
diafelv. The bricks, according to IA re-
ceived tradition, were manufactured in the
colony, being quite different from those
imported from England ut that period.
The massive walls-half yard in thick
ness-contain several oval openings,
probably intended for port holes. but the
outside shutters have disappeared. Arched
windows near the ground were guarded
by heavy iron bars, and the outside door
was iron-clad. A safe point Of obserya-
ton was provided in the western chimney.
Closets. intended 10 be- fire proof. were
constructed Tor the preservation OF valua-
Bile stores. The Indians occasionally lurked
around the fort. but never made AN attack
IN force. skirmi-h once took place. it
ID said, but no particulars are found in the
town records.
Matthew Cradock. who caused the erec-
ton OF this building. was the first Gov
ernOr Of the Mass. Co. in England. lie
was member of the Long Parliament.
dying in l64l. lie never came to America,
but there is little doubt ne entertained the
purpose of doing 40. Drake thinks it
FAR from improbable t at having in view
IOluIc IcSlucuCc III WV Sid-
dock may have given directions for
or prescribed the plan of this
house, and That it may have been the
counterpart of his own in st. Swithen's
Lane, near London Stone. The Mystic
grant to Cradock extended mile into the
country from the river side in all places.
forming q proud plantation of green
meadows and stately forest trees. Wood.
one OF the early chroniclers. tells us that
Master Cradock had park impaled at
Mystic, where his cattle were kept until
It could be stocked with deer. and that he
was also engaged in sb'pbuilding. a ves-
eel Of .'hundred tunne'' having been
built the previous year (l632) There is
reason to believe that this historic editice
IAN unique specimen of the architecture
of the carly settlers-will be preserved
for many generations. although Mt one
time It narrowly escaped 1.-THE march of
improvement"