Quincy, Mass. Historical and Architectural Survey

22 Spear Street

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Frederick E. Tupper, a civil engineer, built this former single residence at a cost of $3500 in 1915. The property, which had earlier included both the present 22 and 28 Spear Street lots, had belonged to Tupper's parents, Lewis T. Tupper, a Boston leather dealer, and Harriet Adelaide since at least 1888.

Spear Street is named for Seth Spear (1801-1888) who, with his wife Elizabeth Bowker, had a homestead (built in 1831) and a large farm near the southern end of the street, close to what is now called McGrath Highway. The earlier owner of the Tupper property, from the 1850's to the 1880's, was Wyman Abercrombie, a dry goods and groceries retailer, who had his store on Washington Street, near the Universalist Church.

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:
This 1915 two story hip roof house was probably built in a Four Square, Colonial Revival style, however, since it has been clad in vinyl, much of its architectural character has been removed and what is left is a plain residence with vinyl walls punctuated by sash windows. It is set on a typical Quincy granite foundation and has a slate roof. It is located behind the magnificent Gothic Revival Bethany Church, in the Quincy Center Local Historic District.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES
Assessors Records.
Building Permit.
H. F. Walling. "Map of the Town of Quincy", 1857.
Atlas of Norfolk County, Mass, 1876.
Atlas of the City of Quincy,1897.
Atlas of the City of Quincy, 1907.
Quincy City Directories, 1868, 1888, 1915.
"Sprague Genealogy of Old Braintree Families". Microfilm at Quincy Historical Society.

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