Parson Capen House, 17th century colonial house in Topsfield, Massachusetts.
The Parson Capen House is a two-story residential building from the 17th century in Topsfield featuring visible wooden framework, fireplaces in multiple rooms, and protruding roof overhangs in the English building style. The floor plan includes various rooms with different functions that show how people organized their living spaces.
The building was constructed in 1683 for Reverend Joseph Capen and served as the parsonage for the local Congregational Church for more than four decades. Its long period of use under different residents made it an important record of daily life in this early colonial period.
The house displays handcrafted details from the late 1600s, such as carved wood ornaments and rounded fireplaces, reflecting the building traditions of that period. These features help visitors understand how people lived then and what techniques craftspeople used.
The house is open for visits only by prior appointment arranged through the Topsfield Historical Society. Visitors should make reservations well in advance to plan a tour.
The house was built with stone as the primary building material, which set it apart from other wood structures in the area. This construction choice offers interesting insight into regional craft practices and material availability during that time.
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