Rockland Mass Historical Commission

Recently the Rockland Historical Commission and the Rockland Board of Selectman renewed efforts to preserve the 1745 House, one of the most significant historical artifacts in the town. In the past several years the 1745 House has experienced significant neglect and deterioration, and unless a comprehensive restoration and utilization plan is developed, the structure and an important piece of early Rockland history will be lost forever.

In October 1745 Samuel Greene, a young farmer married to Hannah Jackson from Abington Centre, purchased a 19 acre tract near Studley Pond and built a modest farmhouse. The structure was typical of homesteads at the time, a Cape style with a center fireplace stack. The house remained at its original site until 1818, when it was moved for the first time, closer to Market Street. It later became renumbered as 94 Market Street.

The purchase of the 1745 House and property by the Seven-Eleven Corporation in 1971 threatened to doom the oldest existing home in Rockland. However, quick action by Town officials, civic, and business leaders resulted in a plan to move the 1745 House to a location near the Rockland High School where it would be converted into a center for Rockland’s history, a museum, and an educational tool for students. Throughout 1972 volunteers labored to secure the structure and to replicate traditional, colonial interiors. Hand-painted stenciling and detailed woodwork complemented remaining original decorative finish work and moldings.

Thanks to these tremendous efforts, throughout the 1970s and early 1980s the 1745 House served as a historical centerpiece of Rockland’s heritage. Community groups and schools used the 1745 House for activities, educational purposes, and tours to foster an awareness of historical preservation and pride in Rockland’s history and our important role in the development of the South Shore.

Sadly, more recently the 1745 House has been closed and has fallen into disrepair. The Rockland Historical Commission, in cooperation with the Board of Selectmen and former interim Town Administrator John Rogers, have renewed a commitment to preserve the structure, convert to public use, and maintain it in the future. Our emphasis is to rally public support again and solicit donations of cash, materials, and expertise from the citizens and the business community. In order to ensure the future use of the 1745 House, our goal is to not only use the structure as a historical resource but also as a permanent, habitable dwelling for public benefit (such as residence for caretaker/watchman for the High School grounds).

Initial plans for restoration are underway, but we need your support. The Commission received a structural evaluation of the 1745 House, and our first phase focuses on securing the building, making emergency structural repairs, and making it weather tight.

Your support is greatly appreciated. With your assistance, we can save the 1745 House and ensure that, once again, it will be a source of pride for Rockland residents and historical resource to promote our Town’s heritage.

For tax purposes, the Rockland Historical Commission is classified under the 501(c)(3) designation of the Town of Rockland, and your donation may be tax deductible: Please consult your tax advisor.

Please feel free to contact myself or any Commission member if you have any questions. Thanks for your consideration.

Rockland Ma. 1745 House History.

Please mail donations to:

Rockland Historical Commission 242 Union Street Rockland Ma. 02370

Please make donation payable to: 1745 House Restoration FUND

Sincerely, Peter Dow Chairman, Rockland Historical Commission

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*Note : All information displayed here has been taken from the town survey, Dated 1981 and displayed for the public viewing.

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