Charlestown in Boston in Suffolk County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)

The Commandant's Residence

By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 28, 2023

1. The Commandant's Residence Marker

Inscription.

The Commandant's Residence. . , The Commandant's residence was built about 1809 and shows some influences of Charles Bulfinch, leading architect of Boston of this period, whose work influenced many architects and builders. Captain Samuel Nicholson was the first occupant and the house shows evidences of his tastes. This building has been the official residence of the Commandant of the Navy Yard and it is now the official home of the Commandant of the First Naval District., Occupants , Captain Samuel Nicholson 1800-1811 . Captain William Bainbridge 1812-1813 . Captain Isaac Hull 1813-1822 . Captain William Bainbridge 1822 - 1824 . Captain William M. Crane 1825-1828 . Captain Charles Morris 1827-1832 . Captain William Bainbridge 1832-1833 . Captain Jesse D. Elliott 1833-1835 . Captain John Downes 1835-1842 . Captain John B. Nicholson 1842-1845 . Captain Foxhall A. Parker 1845-1849 . Captain John Downes 1849-1852 . Captain Francis H. Gregory 1852-1855 . Captain Silas H. Stringham 1855-1859 . Captain William L. Hudson 1859-1862 . Commodore John B. Montgomery 1862-1863 . Rear Admiral Chalres Steedman 1869-1872 . Commodore Enoch G. Parrott 1872-1873 . Commodore Edward T. Nichols 1873-1876 . Commodore Foxhall A. Parker 1876-1878 . Commodore William F. Spicer 1878-1878 . Commodore George M. Ransom 1879-1882 . Commodore Oscar C. Badger 1882-1885 . Rear Admiral Louis A. Kimberly 1885-1887, Commodore William P. McCann 1887-1890 . Captain Thomas O. Selfridge 1890-1893 . Rear Admiral Joseph Fyffe 1893-1894 . Commodore Joseph N. Miller 1894-1897 . Rear Admiral Henry H. Howelson 1897-1899 . Rear Admiral Henry F. Picking 1899-1899 . Rear Admiral William T. Sampson 1899-1901 . Rear Admiral Mortimer L. Johnson 1901-1904 . Rear Admiral George F.F. Wilde 1904-1905 . Rear Admiral Albert F. Snow 1905-1907 . Rear Admiral William Swift 1907-1909 . Rear Admiral John C. Fremont 1909-1911 . Captain Dewitt Coffman 1911-1914 . Captain William R. Rush 1914-1919 . Rear Admiral Samuel S. Robinson 1919-1921 . Rear Admiral Albert Cleaves 1921-1921 . Rear Admiral Henry A. Wiley 1921-1923 . Rear Admiral Louis R. DeSteiguer 1923-1925 . Rear Admiral Philip Andrews 1925-1930 . Rear Admiral Louis M. Nulton 1930-1933 . Rear Admiral Henry H. Hough 1933-1935 . Rear Admiral Walter R. Gherardi 1935-1938 . Rear Admiral William T. Tarrant 1938-1942 . Rear Admiral Wilson Brown 1942-1943 . Rear Admiral Robert A. Theobald 1943-1944 . ★ Rear Admiral Felix X. Gygax 1944-1945, ★ Rear Admiral Morton L. Deyo 1945-1949 . ★ Rear Admiral Hewlett Thebaud 1949-1952 . ★ Rear Admiral John L. McCrea 1952-1953 . ★ Rear Admiral Charles B. Momsen 1953-1954 . ★ Rear Admiral John A. Snackenberg 1954-1958 . ★ Rear Admiral Carl F. Espe 1958-1962 . ★ Rear Admiral Joseph H. Wellings 1962-1963 . ★ Rear Admiral Wallace M. Beakley 1963-1964 . Rear Admiral William B. Sieglaff 1964-1966 . Rear Admiral Means Johnston, Jr. 1966-1967 . ★ Rear Admiral Roy S. Benson 1967-1968 . Rear Admiral Joseph C. Wylie 1969-1972 . Rear Admiral Richard E. Rumble 1972-1974 . Rear Admiral Roy D. Snyder 1974 ★ Commandant First Naval District

The Commandant's residence was built about 1809 and shows some influences of Charles Bulfinch, leading architect of Boston of this period, whose work influenced many architects and builders. Captain Samuel Nicholson was the first occupant and the house shows evidences of his tastes. This building has been the official residence of the Commandant of the Navy Yard and it is now the official home of the Commandant of the First Naval District.

Occupants
Captain Samuel Nicholson 1800-1811 • Captain William Bainbridge 1812-1813 • Captain Isaac Hull 1813-1822 • Captain William Bainbridge 1822 - 1824 • Captain William M. Crane 1825-1828 • Captain Charles Morris 1827-1832 • Captain William Bainbridge 1832-1833 • Captain Jesse D. Elliott 1833-1835 • Captain John Downes 1835-1842 • Captain John B. Nicholson 1842-1845 • Captain Foxhall A. Parker 1845-1849 • Captain John Downes 1849-1852 • Captain Francis H. Gregory 1852-1855 • Captain Silas H. Stringham 1855-1859 • Captain William L. Hudson 1859-1862 • Commodore John B. Montgomery 1862-1863 • Rear Admiral Chalres Steedman 1869-1872 • Commodore Enoch G. Parrott 1872-1873 • Commodore Edward T. Nichols 1873-1876 • Commodore Foxhall A. Parker 1876-1878 • Commodore William F. Spicer 1878-1878 • Commodore George M. Ransom 1879-1882

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

• Commodore Oscar C. Badger 1882-1885 • Rear Admiral Louis A. Kimberly 1885-1887

Commodore William P. McCann 1887-1890 • Captain Thomas O. Selfridge 1890-1893 • Rear Admiral Joseph Fyffe 1893-1894 • Commodore Joseph N. Miller 1894-1897 • Rear Admiral Henry H. Howelson 1897-1899 • Rear Admiral Henry F. Picking 1899-1899 • Rear Admiral William T. Sampson 1899-1901 • Rear Admiral Mortimer L. Johnson 1901-1904 • Rear Admiral George F.F. Wilde 1904-1905 • Rear Admiral Albert F. Snow 1905-1907 • Rear Admiral William Swift 1907-1909 • Rear Admiral John C. Fremont 1909-1911 • Captain Dewitt Coffman 1911-1914 • Captain William R. Rush 1914-1919 • Rear Admiral Samuel S. Robinson 1919-1921 • Rear Admiral Albert Cleaves 1921-1921 • Rear Admiral Henry A. Wiley 1921-1923 • Rear Admiral Louis R. DeSteiguer 1923-1925 • Rear Admiral Philip Andrews 1925-1930 • Rear Admiral Louis M. Nulton 1930-1933 • Rear Admiral Henry H. Hough 1933-1935 • Rear Admiral Walter R. Gherardi 1935-1938 • Rear Admiral William T. Tarrant 1938-1942 • Rear Admiral Wilson Brown 1942-1943 • Rear Admiral Robert A. Theobald 1943-1944 • ★ Rear Admiral Felix X. Gygax 1944-1945

★ Rear Admiral Morton L. Deyo 1945-1949 • ★ Rear Admiral Hewlett Thebaud 1949-1952 • ★ Rear Admiral John L. McCrea 1952-1953 • ★ Rear Admiral

By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 28, 2023

2. The Commandant's Residence Marker

Charles B. Momsen 1953-1954 • ★ Rear Admiral John A. Snackenberg 1954-1958 • ★ Rear Admiral Carl F. Espe 1958-1962 • ★ Rear Admiral Joseph H. Wellings 1962-1963 • ★ Rear Admiral Wallace M. Beakley 1963-1964 • Rear Admiral William B. Sieglaff 1964-1966 • Rear Admiral Means Johnston, Jr. 1966-1967 • ★ Rear Admiral Roy S. Benson 1967-1968 • Rear Admiral Joseph C. Wylie 1969-1972 • Rear Admiral Richard E. Rumble 1972-1974 • Rear Admiral Roy D. Snyder 1974 ★ Commandant First Naval District

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Military. A significant historical year for this entry is 1809.

Location. 42° 22.442′ N, 71° 3.418′ W. Marker is in Boston, Massachusetts, in Suffolk County. It is in Charlestown. Marker is on 2nd Avenue east of 3rd Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Charlestown MA 02129, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Commander Barry Carle (within shouting distance of this marker); Men of the Boston Naval Shipyard (within shouting distance of this marker); Boston Naval Shipyard (within shouting distance of this marker); Life and Work in the Navy Yard 1812 (within shouting distance of this marker); This Cannon (within shouting

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

distance of this marker); The Battle of Bunker Hill (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Yard as Home (about 300 feet away); Flags at Sea (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Boston.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 5, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 71 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 5, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.