Plate LXVII.—Two Views of the Hallway, Saltonstall House.
It stands back from the road, facing Lake Saltonstall, in the midst of green fields, over which are scattered beautiful trees and flower gardens. Entrance is at the front through a colonial porch, supported by dignified columns and showing dentation, which is repeated in the roof-line of the house. The entrance door, with its ponderous brass knocker, swings back on its long strap hinges, and reveals a wide hallway which extends entirely through the house to a second door, which leads to a garden beyond. This door shows plainly the mark of the saw where it was cut apart at the time of moving, and the scars of the joining are shown with great pride by the present owners as evidence of this achievement.
At the right of the entrance is the staircase, showing the spiral newel post and carved balusters of the early period. The wainscoting is a feature of this central hall, as is the arch midway between the two entrance doors. A grandfather's clock ticks off the time, and beyond is a wonderful old dresser with a rare collection of pewter, showing many pieces that cannot be duplicated in this country. There is enough of this metal collected to set an entire dinner table, reminding us of the days when it was used extensively in this country, before the introduction of china and glass.
Opening out of this room at the right is the den, where a wonderful Franklin stove is used for heating. All around the room are pieces of furniture which are not only historic but have much intrinsic value.
Opposite is the drawing-room, with its let-in window-seats and narrow, panelled, wooden shutters, locked at night and serving, if need be, instead of curtains. Many of the chairs found in this room were covered with wonderful specimens of handiwork done by the wife of Elisha Cooke, one of Doctor Saltonstall's ancestors, while much of the furniture came over, as did the timbers, from the mother country, for the first occupant of the house.
Plate LXVIII.—Two Views of the Dining Room, Saltonstall House.
The dining-room is, perhaps, one of the most attractive rooms in the house. It is well lighted by small-paned windows and contains Hepplewhite chairs and side-table. At one side stands a sideboard which was originally in the possession of Governor John Leverett, who was Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony at the time of King Philip's War and who was a friend of Cromwell's, and created baronet and knight by Charles II in 1676. Governor Leverett was an ancestor of the present owner. On this sideboard are many pieces of old family silver, including a tankard which was also owned by the governor.
The fireplace is a true colonial one, showing blue and white tiles two deep, each illustrative of a Bible story. The upper hall has undergone a change since it was built through the introduction of low, built-in bookcases. Here the furniture includes Chippendale chairs of a design that was very popular all through this period, being of beautiful proportions and showing fine workmanship.