Unity Street
From the book 12 Sketches of Old Boston Buildings, by George R. Tolman, published 1882:
"No. 23 Unity Street. In this building English officers were quartered during their occupation of the city. After the evacuation of Boston, by the British, the owner of the house returned, and found it in a sorry condition. He missed a valuable desk, of which he could find no trace, until, happening on the Common, he found the missing article in one of the barracks, left vacant by the retiring troops.
The house was built of bricks, imported from England, about 1720-35. Yet a portion of the lower part indicates, by the English bond of the brick-work, an earlier date than the above; the remainder is laid with what was known to early Boston masons as the 'Promiscuous bond.' 'This bond, consisting of a course of headers, and from three to eight courses of stretchers, was in use from about 1720 to 1770.'
The buildings on the left were formerly of the same general character, but have been remodeled.
The mansion-house next below, the corner of which is shown on right of picture, was owned by Dr. Franklin, and willed by him 'to his dear sister, Jane Mecom, and by her, in trust, to Rev. John Lathrop, D.D., and Benjamin Summers, for her daughter, Jane Collins, to her grandson, Josiah Flagg, and great-grandchildren, Franklin and Sarah Green.'
The last-mentioned building displays some rather eccentric architectural features; one of which is, that while the common voussoirs and keys to arches of first-story windows are of brick, the two each side of the key are of solid wood. The reason of this is not apparent."
Unity Street
From the book 12 Sketches of Old Boston Buildings, by George R. Tolman, published 1882:
"No. 23 Unity Street. In this building English officers were quartered during their occupation of the city. After the evacuation of Boston, by the British, the owner of the house returned, and found it in a sorry condition. He missed a valuable desk, of which he could find no trace, until, happening on the Common, he found the missing article in one of the barracks, left vacant by the retiring troops.
The house was built of bricks, imported from England, about 1720-35. Yet a portion of the lower part indicates, by the English bond of the brick-work, an earlier date than the above; the remainder is laid with what was known to early Boston masons as the 'Promiscuous bond.' 'This bond, consisting of a course of headers, and from three to eight courses of stretchers, was in use from about 1720 to 1770.'
The buildings on the left were formerly of the same general character, but have been remodeled.
The mansion-house next below, the corner of which is shown on right of picture, was owned by Dr. Franklin, and willed by him 'to his dear sister, Jane Mecom, and by her, in trust, to Rev. John Lathrop, D.D., and Benjamin Summers, for her daughter, Jane Collins, to her grandson, Josiah Flagg, and great-grandchildren, Franklin and Sarah Green.'
The last-mentioned building displays some rather eccentric architectural features; one of which is, that while the common voussoirs and keys to arches of first-story windows are of brick, the two each side of the key are of solid wood. The reason of this is not apparent."