Discover the Timeless Charm of a 1641 Home That Stood in One Family for 228 Years

DUXBURY, Mass. — In Duxbury, Massachusetts, numerous notable and historically important houses can be discovered. The eldest is the Hunt House. Initially, it was a modest cottage-like structure located in the historically significant coastal town at 8 Hounds Ditch Lane.

Although constructed in 1641 by Edmund Hawes, it changed hands soon after when Edmond Hunt acquired it. The Hunt family then held ownership of the Plymouth County residence for 228 years.

Currently, the house has grown to over 3,400 square feet, featuring three bedrooms and three complete bathrooms. It remains under private ownership. It was last sold in January 2022 for $1.25 million, as per Zillow records. .

As per Carolyn Ravenscroft, who is an archivist and historian, The Duxbury Rural and Historical Society In September 1641, Edmund Hawes traded 10 acres of land for 2,000 feet of sawn boards. — Woodcut obtained through specific methods from logs, frequently employed in construction. He constructed a house along the Old Green’s Harbor Path, close to Hounds Ditch.

Mayflower passengers relocate

Around this period, numerous key figures among the Mayflower settlers began relocating from Plymouth to Duxbury. John Alden constructed his residence near the Hunt House. Additionally, Myles Standish and Elder William Bradford made their homes in what was then called "Duxborough" or "Duxborrow."

The former town historian, Dorothy Wentworth, conducted a thorough investigation into the history of the Hunt property. She noted back then that in 1870, Lucy Hunt, the widow of Barker Hunt, sold the estate to John R. Dellow, effectively taking it out of the family’s hands. Following this transaction, the residence changed ownership multiple times; notably, the Briggs clan possessed it for thirty-five years until they transferred it to Alpheus H. Walker in 1906.

According to Wentworth, Walker did not live in the house; instead, he left it with only the basic structure intact and utilized it for storing grains and tools.

The historic house underwent complete renovation during the 1960s.

In 1962, Robert H. Hose acquired the house together with one acre of land and undertook comprehensive renovations. The living area was expanded through two extensions that maintained the integrity of the initial architecture and aesthetics.

One of the newer features includes a spacious room equipped with a sizable fireplace, alongside a cathedral ceiling kitchen and an extensive basement that comes with a cedar closet and a workshop area.

Many historic Colonial houses can be found in Duxbury, yet the Hunt House distinguishes itself with both its advanced age and exceptional upkeep," explained Ravenscroft. "This structure serves as a fine illustration of what early Colonial architecture, specifically from the first period, looks like.

The article initially appeared on wickedlocal.com: The house constructed in 1641 remained with a single family for 228 years. Check out how it appears now.