Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 2055
Scan of illustration from Official Program Dorchester Day, Saturday, June 5, 1915, showing the new Dorchester Fireproof Storage Warehouse and the Humphreys House on Dudley Street corner of Humphreys.
It was said that the Humphreys House was built in the 16130s and remodeled over the years. In 1917 the family sold the property and moved from the old house, allowing its demolition. They had already apparently sold the back part of the property for the construction of the Dorchester Fireproof Storage Warehouse, so it is not surprising that they decided to move out of the old home.
On the occasion of leaving their home, the Humphreys family published a pamphlet entitled The Humphreys Homestead, 1784-1917. It comprises a poem of which a few scattered lines are reproduced here:
We are leaving the dear oldHomestead…
The timber of their dwellings all
Grew near by on their land;
It was cut and hewn by those sturdy men
And the nails were made by hand …
The old, old hearthstone still is there
Of the house they first did build.
The brook did flow through the meadow low
And its waters the tanpits filled …
InDorchesteronce fine fruit did grow
And the Humphreys quince orchard made a fine show
One hundred and fifty bushels or more
Have been seen in the fall on the great barn floor …
The old, old gun chests still remained
Of the war of Eighteen twelve.
They hid the silver of the churc
In the tanpits they did delve …
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