Marion’s village neighborhood is known for its quaint seaside qualities, residences maintained to impeccable standards, gardens designed to frame landscapes, and many properties with a backdrop of Sippican Harbor. Among the numerous examples of architectural elegance, one has added to its storied history with recognition by the US Department of the Interior – 46 Water Street.
Robert and Judith Rosbe have worked hard to preserve the grandeur that is their home.
Purchased in 1986, the couple has continuously renewed the interior to more closely resemble its original colors and themes. Judith said when they acquired the home, “The house had not been decorated since the mid-1960s.” She said the colors were all wrong for a home built in 1893.
Yet the exterior of the structure was intact with its unique shingle-style, a favored style choice for expansive summer homes of the era. The architect was James Templeton Kelley who designed the unifying shingle covering with a front façade distinguished by a large gambrel roof and three dormer windows across the second story.
Judith has always had a strong interest in history and over more than two decades has been an active member of the Sippican Historical Society. The society attempted to help preserve old homes in the community via adoption of a bylaw.
Several failed attempts to have Town Meeting adopt such bylaw measures, measures that would give old homes slated for demolition one last chance, still troubles Judith. “We just wanted to slow down the demolition long enough to maybe find another option for the property and the seller,” she said.
Turning her focus to her own home, Rosbe began the long process of having the home recognized by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, which was no small task. “It is a long and complicated process,” Rosbe said. On the advice of the MHC, the couple hired a specialist with knowledge of the process and the research required.
Judith said of the MHC advice, “They gave me a list of people who do this type of work.” She explained that the very first step, however, was having the town surveyed for historical purposes. Marion had already completed that process some years prior. All that was left was to hire the right expert and two more years.
It worked. The home was recognized for its shingled architecture and one special summer visitor, President Grover Cleveland. Cleveland was an avid fisherman whose friend encouraged him to visit Marion for the fishing. The Clevelands spent two summer seasons in the Water Street home. There was talk that they were interested in buying the property. Failure to reach an agreement with the owner resulted in the first family selecting a summer retreat in Bourne that would be known as Gray Gables.
The MHC, Rosbe said, forwarded on the completed application to the Department of the Interior.
After review and acceptance of the documentation, the National Register of Historic Places sign is now affixed to the wall next to the front door. A true accomplishment and, while such recognition does not guarantee perpetual protection, Rosbe said with conviction, “This home will never be torn down.”
To learn more about historic recognition of buildings, visit www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/.
By Marilou Newell
