By GLYNIS HART
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CHARLESTOWN — What’s it like to live in a house that predates the Revolutionary War? For John and Judy Murray, who live in the historic Simonds House on Main Street, it’s a blessing and an obligation.
“It’s our house but we have a responsibility to keep it up for future generations,” said Judy. “To keep the grounds looking nice and the inside properly kept up.”
The Murrays and several other owners of historic houses in downtown Charlestown will be opening their homes to visitors for the 2018 Christmas Tour of Homes, Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sponsored by the Charlestown Senior Center, the tour will bring visitors to five houses and three historic churches, with the senior center serving as starting point and hot cocoa-and-cookies station.
Some folks will remember the Christmas tours of historic homes that took place in the late 1990s, sponsored by the Congregational Church. The Murrays had just moved into the Simonds house.
“I thought it would be a great way to meet people,” Judy recalled. “And it was.”
Each house has its own history, of the families that dwelt therein in centuries past and those who are living there now. Of course, the type of Christmas decorations in use in 2018 were unheard of in the Colonial era; what were called “Advent wreaths” became trendy in the mid-19th century.
Unlike house museums, each historic home is being lived in, so visitors will be treated to a mix of historic items and family traditions. For instance, in the Murray home there’s a family tradition of sugar-cube houses, that Judy and the children made every year. Nowadays it’s tricky finding actual sugar cubes in the store, so she buys them online.
Historic features may be surprising, like the see-through cupboard between the Murray’s kitchen and the dining room. The cupboard is set in the wall, with doors on both sides. Another feature of the house is the deep-set window casements, which may have been built that deep to accommodate “Indian shutters,” shutters that slid into openings in the wall (and could be closed by someone inside the house).
Charlestown’s historic district includes 62 structures. A deeper look into their history can be found on the town’s website, where the documents from the National Historic Register for Charlestown and North Charlestown give detailed descriptions of houses, outbuildings, and features like a cast-iron cemetery fountain.
The first owner of the Simonds house, built in 1803, was a blacksmith. A fire destroyed a part of the house, leaving scorch marks still visible on the brick, but the owners rebuilt it larger and better. Later in its life the house served as a tavern; a long ramp in the garage was once used to roll whiskey barrels out of storage.
The Stone House, farther down Main Street, also functioned as a tavern in the 18th century and was at one time the meeting place of the New Hampshire Legislature (1787). The current owners, Rodney and Carol Clark, are committing to restoring the home and honoring its history.
The Golden House, also on Main Street, was once a stone blacksmith’s shop but has also been identified as the original site of Fort #4. It was rebuilt in the 1880s.
Part of the Stevens House was probably built around 1740, with a large addition made to the front of the house a century later. An example of the work of Stephen Hassam, who built a number of public and private buildings in Charlestown, it includes a “clock in the wall” showing his hand in the work.
The Baraly House dates from 1860 and is currently occupied by the family of the Charlestown fire chief. In addition to the houses, the Congregational Church, Unitarian Church and Anglican Church will be open during the tour. The Silver Tones will be singing at the Congregational Church; there will be a quilt show at the Unitarian and a Nativity display at the Anglican church.
The tour is a fundraiser for the Charlestown Senior Center, which needs a new roof! Tickets are $10 each. Stop in the Senior Center to begin the tour, receive a brochure to guide you to the houses, and partake of hot chocolate and cookies.
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