The Original House
circa 1719

The earliest section of the Parsons House is a two-and-a-half story wood frame house with a center chimney, framed in 1719 with construction continuing on for a year or two. This original house survives entombed within later additions and remodelings in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

Addition of the Lean-To
mid-to-late Eighteenth Century

In the mid-to-late 18th century, a kitchen lean-to was added to the rear of the house. The addition of the lean-to cannot be precisely dated on the basis of physical evidence. It is possible that Nathaniel's widow, Abigail Bunce Parsons, took in tenants or boarders, a situation which might have required a second kitchen. The original kitchen continued to serve as such until circa 1800, when it was converted to a parlor.

Expansion to a Double-Pile House
circa 1795-1815

A more comprehensive remodeling of the entire house is believed to have begun in the last decade of the 18th century and extend into the early nineteenth century. A second floor was added to the lean-to in the later eighteenth century, requiring that the old roof be replaced with one of almost twice its girth. This completed the transformation of the original house from "single-pile" (one room deep) to "double-pile" (two rooms deep) on both stories. In addition, the exterior was entirely re-sided and the interior rooms were plastered and remodeled. This changes occurred in stages.

Addition of the Ell, East & West Wings
circa 1815-1830

By about 1830, an ell, east wing and west wing were added to the house. The ell and east wing are contemporary. Their chronological relationship to the west wing cannot be determined through physical evidence. This diagram represents the current shape and size of the house.

For a full and detailed description of the archeology of the Parsons House, see the Report on Building Archeology at the Nathaniel Parsons House, Northampton, Massachusetts.