61 West Central Street

Natick

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House History

Introduction

The current owners are the 6^th family to call 61 West Central Street home.  The prior owners, Peggy and David had done some research on its past and shared what they knew of the history, including changes that had been made over time, and the current owners are proud of the 2^nd floor renovations they undertook as well.

Family History Timeline

1.    Otis Perry Household (Circa 1845)

o   The historical group refers to the house as “61. Otis Perry Household. Circa 1845, built by Perry.”

o   For more details, visit: http://www.millermicro.com/NatickWalk.html#app1

2.    Dr. Tadeo's Family

o   Before the Balzarini family, the Tadeo family lived here.

o   Dr. Tadeo was the local internist, and his home became a local landmark – many still refer to it as “Dr. Tadeo’s house.”

o   Renovations during this period include:

§  Addition of a back office (originally a waiting room)

§  Lower level bathroom serving as a back entrance to the kitchen

§  Reconfiguration of the den area, which originally included two rooms and a screen porch

§  Installation of siding around the 1940s

3.    Richard & Alda Balzarini Family

o   The Balzarini family resided in the house for over 30 years.

o   They were the fourth family to live here.

o   Their daughter, who became a geologist, was known for collecting odd rocks in the yard as a child.

Architectural Style:

·       The house is an interesting mix of styles popular through the years.  A house historian had this to say about the building’s evolution:

“Underneath your house is probably a classic vernacular Victorian rectangular box house built in 1860, but in the next generation it was given a Queen Anne façade after which its verandah was removed and given a Dutch Colonial canopy over the front door sometime in the 20th century. The 1860 house probably had blinds and shutters, but the Queen Anne remodeling probably didn’t.  Restoring the verandah would give you other color opportunities for the façade, as well as a chance to visually enrich your grand home. You can either select colors from the stonework or colors in contrast with the stonework.”

Renovations & Modifications

The 1990’s – 2010’s brought many wonderful changes:

• Screen Porch:
  The old screen porch was removed (leaving the slab intact due to zoning restrictions) and rebuilt to its current form.
• Den Modifications:
  A wall in the den was removed to create an open space. The former cupboard/bookshelf was transformed into a closet similar to the current one.
• Kitchen Reconfiguration:
  The kitchen was refigured to separate the “working” area from the “social” area:
• The stove, refrigerator, and other appliances were relocated.
• The previous door to the porch is now a window across from the new stove location.
• The entrance (now the bathroom/laundry area) was closed off from the working area.
• Upstairs Adjustments:
  In the past, two of the bedrooms had been connected, with shared access to the bathroom. 
• The current owners renovated that side of the upstairs completely creating an en suite with a dressing room and large bath that is also used by the other, now independent, bedrooms.
• Added double closets.