As you know from reading the Wanderer or looking at the Town of Rochester website, the Rochester Historical Commission sells plaques to owners of historical Rochester homes. Recently a plaque request that spanned at Snipatuit R least two years was granted. With assistance from the Rochester Historical Society and some wise Rochester residents, the plaque was ordered and should soon be gracing the home at 392 North Ave.
The reason this plaque took longer than usual is the house in question was not always located where it is today. Originally built in 1799, it was not an addition but rather an original part of the building which still stands at 780 Snipatuit Rd. This was once the Chaddock Academy Boarding House. It was across the road from the Academy. Among the students who attended the school and lived in the boarding house was Marcus Morton.
Morton was a governor of Massachusetts. Unlike many, he served two non-consecutive terms. The first was from 1840-1841 and the second was from 1843-1844.
The piece that would become 392 North Ave. was still part of 780 Snipatuit Rd. when the boarding house became Coombs Tavern. In 1871, the entire northeast corner of the building was sold to George Gerrish. The section removed included 5 rooms with 3 on the main level and 2 above.
Wilson Mull, the current owner of the “mother” building, said that you can tell where the section was removed by noting a blank wall which would have had a window on the northeast side and the fact that the corner of the porch had to have foundation work done.
Before the “new” house settled in to its current location. it was at one time next to the North Rochester Cemetery in 1879 and then in 1921 it moved to its current location at 392 North Ave.
Because our plaques are based on the date of construction, this one will be dated 1799, the date it was built.
By Connie Eshbach
