Old Chelmsford Garrison House, Colonial garrison house in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
The Old Chelmsford Garrison House is a colonial-era defensive residence featuring thick stone walls and a central chimney built from fieldstone. The property includes several outbuildings such as a working blacksmith shop, summer kitchen, craft house, and barn containing farming equipment and tools.
The house was built after 1700 and remained in the hands of only three families until 1952, beginning with Thomas Adams who received a land grant from Chelmsford in 1683. This continuity of ownership by the same families helped preserve the structure with minimal alterations.
The house contains household goods and tools that reflect how colonial families organized their daily routines. Visitors can observe the domestic practices and work habits that shaped early settlement communities.
The site is located in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and visitors should plan time to explore multiple structures spread across the grounds. Comfortable walking shoes are helpful since you will move between the main house and various outbuildings.
A notable feature is the 17 inch (43 cm) wide chamfered summer beam that supports the second floor, demonstrating specialized construction techniques of the early colonial period. This hand-crafted detail reflects the carpentry skills required to build such structural elements.
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