Barrett-Byam Homestead
Encyclopedia
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Chelmsford is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 33,802. The Census Bureau's 2008 population estimate for the town was 34,409, ranking it 14th in population among the 54 municipalities in...
, United States. The original house dates to circa 1663, though much or all today's structure may date from the mid-18th century.
The homestead was established in 1663 by Thomas Barrett, who bought a house and 52 acres (21 ha) of land from a James Parker. It was originally built as south-facing "saltbox" with a central chimney and fireplace in every room. The heating system appears to have been rebuilt circa 1800 with Rumford fireplace
Rumford fireplace
The Rumford fireplace is a tall, shallow fireplace designed by Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford, born 1753 in Woburn, Massachusetts, an Anglo-American physicist who was known for his investigations of heat....
s in each room.