Because of the distinctive place that houses of the middle period hold in the present architectural world, architects from all over the country are now looking for specimens of these dwellings to which they may turn for copy. The master builders of that time knew well their art, and their work is characteristic of us as a nation. Houses of that period, while comparatively similar in type to those of the old world, yet show enough variation to make them interesting, and stand in favorable comparison. There is the large, square house, three stories in height, which came into vogue early in the nineteenth century. Then there is the double-decked house with its roof ornamentations, and the plain house of the purest colonial type, an illustration of the latter being the Dalton house at Newburyport, Massachusetts.

This house stands on the principal street in Newburyport, a seaport city, where in the days of commercial prosperity ships lined the wharves, as they came and went in their traffic with foreign lands. Those were the days when merchants made and lost fortunes, the days of golden prosperity and of flashes of romance. To these days we turn as a most interesting period of our country's architectural history.

In fancy we see the Newburyport of that day, situated on the banks of the Merrimac River, a breezy old town propped up on a granite base. Its principal street, three miles in length, overlooked the quays, where in the olden days vessels arrived from Russia or Antwerp or perhaps from the West Indies, laden with rich furs, strange wooden shoes, guava jellies, wonderful old shawls, and many other exports that were piled high on the now silent wharves.

On this the principal street stands the Dalton house, two and a half stories in height, with gambrel roof and a wide, inviting porch—a mansion that suggests the days when money was piled high in the coffers and when the prosperous men flaunted their wealth, spending it freely, not only in frequent entertainments but in equipages that were the envy of the less fortunate townsmen. There were no more beautiful or expensive carriages than those owned by Tristram Dalton, who succeeded his father, Michael Dalton, in the ownership of the house.

When the mansion was first built, there was a spacious estate in keeping with the house instead of the limited grounds that we see to-day. At the rear, just back of the courtyard, were large, well-built stables, in which were sheltered fine horses. Beyond, were gardens and grass lands, for, when the estate was first planned, it consisted of three acres of land bounded westerly on Greenleafs Lane, southerly on Nathan Hale's land, easterly on Newman's land, and northeast or northerly on the land of James Pierson.

Michael Dalton, who built the house in 1720, was a great-grandson of Philemon Dalton, who came to New England in 1635. Michael was very ambitious, and when quite young he left his father's home to engage in a seafaring life. He made many successful voyages and augmented his wealth to such a degree that he added greatly to the family possessions. Later on he became a prominent merchant, and married in 1733 one Mary Little. His means continuing to increase, he became interested in agricultural pursuits and bought a country estate at Pipestave Hill at West Newbury. Just before his death, he deeded his house to his son Tristram Dalton, who became a prominent figure in American history.

Tristram Dalton was graduated from Harvard in 1755. There is still seen in the house a portrait supposed to have been painted at about that time. One of his closest intimates was a classmate, John Adams, their friendship ending only with death. Young Dalton began studying law in Salem but afterwards entered business with his father; in 1758 he married Ruth Hooper, the daughter of Robert Hooper, a rich merchant of Marblehead, familiarly known as "King" Hooper on account of his great wealth. Until within the last few years there was a pane of glass in one of the windows, on which was written with a diamond the name of Ruth Hooper Dalton. It is still preserved and from letters kept is shown to be a perfect facsimile of her handwriting.

During his life, he became devoted to public interests and was a very prominent citizen of the town, the State, and nation. He served on numerous town committees, was a delegate to the Provincial Congress, a representative of the General Court, a Speaker of the House, a member of the State Senate and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1788, being a zealous advocate of the adoption of the Constitution. He was ever active and energetic in his many efforts to reconcile political differences. So successful was his political life that after a long and sharply contested battle he was elected senator from 1789-1791.

He came of Irish descent and was considered one of the most learned, wealthy, and influential persons in the country. He was a near and confidential friend of President Washington, who induced him to remove his household goods to the city of Washington, foreseeing that it would eventually become one of the grandest cities in the country. There is a portrait of Dalton painted by Blackburn, that is still kept in the house, which shows him tall and well-formed, with fine, clear complexion and smooth, open brow. His dress was after the fashion of the time, with short clothes and knee breeches, coat with standing collar and broad deep lapels faced with silk, white satin waistcoat, ruffled shirt bosom, and deep lace cuffs. That he was fond of dress is shown from the picture, his hair was puffed on either side, giving him an appearance of dignity and age, and making it difficult to believe that the portrait is of one so young. He was a fine specimen of a gentleman of the old school and was well fitted to take a leading part in the best New England societies. The distinguishing traits of his personality continued all through his life, for even as late as 1816 we read of him as erect, firm, and showing a fine presence. He was a man of emotions rather than of ideas, the warmth and sincerity of his feelings lifting him above all personal considerations and giving him that elevation and nobility of character that appeals so strongly to one's affections.

At that period the Dalton house was noted for its hospitality, and many men of national and world-wide fame, whose portraits hang upon the walls to-day, were entertained therein. Stately hospitality continually opened the door of this dwelling, to which had been brought from the treasure-laden ships embroidered shawls, sheer muslins, and bright silks for the ladies, as well as rich furniture for the house. During the Daltons' life here, their house was a perfect treasure-house of wonderfully fine old furniture, now generally scattered among the descendants; but there are still kept in the mansion some wonderfully fine specimens of Hepplewhite chairs, originally owned by the Daltons.

They were lavish entertainers, these Daltons, and it was here that Washington came during a visit to Newburyport. He later writes that he partook of an early breakfast at the home of his friend, Honorable Tristram Dalton, on State Street. While he was being entertained at this meal, an imperative voice was heard in the hallway demanding entrance to the dining-room. Washington recognized the voice of his old servitor, Toffee, and requested that he be admitted. The most cordial greeting took place between the two, and the old commander gave to Toffee a silver piece which the servant wore about his neck all the rest of his life. It must have been an early breakfast, for Washington left town at eight o'clock in the morning, crossing the river at Salisbury, two miles above. This was no uncommon deviation for the president, as we find that while visiting New England he was often entertained at the houses of private citizens and personal friends.

In addition to George Washington, President Monroe, Talleyrand, Jefferson in 1784, Lafayette in 1824, John Quincy Adams, and John Hancock were also among the personages of note who accepted the hospitality of this house.

On September 13, 1775, Colonel Benedict Arnold, at the head of his troops, left Cambridge, dining at Mr. Tristram Dalton's on the Monday following, before sailing from Newburyport to aid in the capture of Quebec. The fleet consisted of eleven sailing vessels, which carried eleven hundred men.

In those days lavish wealth blazed in the town, and the owner of the Dalton house made the people sigh as he drove into town or to his country-seat at Pipestave Hill in his white satin lined coach drawn by six prancing white horses, with four outriders in white livery. Inside were such guests as Talleyrand, George Peabody, and even that eccentric personage, Lord Timothy Dexter, who had the ambition to figure in genteel society and cultivated as much as possible the society of Dalton. His coaches and open phaetons drawn by two or three spans of horses with the liveried outriders, after the style of the nobility of Europe, were more magnificent than were those of any other citizen of the town. His sideboards were weighted with silver, and his chests filled with money, for the incoming ships brought back great bags of gold realized by the sale of cargoes in foreign lands, and large amounts of money were kept in the house by the merchant princes of that day.

In addition to his large house in Newburyport, and his country-seat at Pipestave Hill, Mr. Dalton had his fishing station, with boats and outfits, on the banks of the Merrimac, while his hunting-lodge was in the upper woods of West Newbury. All his surroundings were of a princely nature, befitting the fortune that he owned.

Many were the weddings that took place here, among them being that of Mary, the eldest daughter of Tristram Dalton, who, upon her marriage to Honorable Leonard White of Haverhill, "drove out" in the large white satin coach drawn by six prancing white horses with four white-liveried outriders. Later on, her sister Ruth married Louis Deblois, a prominent Boston merchant, leaving her home in the same coach.

The house itself is one of the best preserved buildings of that day. It has never deteriorated, always being occupied by people of wealth. With the growth of building in the town, the estate has become reduced, until there is now very little of the original tract left. The courtyard has disappeared, as have the expensive stables, for with the dwindling of wealth the need of them has vanished. The house, which was built in 1720, is of gambrel-roof type and a fine example of that period. The blinds are the same ones that were hung at the time when Michael Dalton built the house. Its faÇade, the lines of which are dignified, seems beaming with welcome.

Entrance to the house is through a colonial porch of ample dimensions, showing dentation, which is supported by Corinthian columns; the hall is lighted by a fanlight and sidelights on either side the wide, hospitable door. The exterior is painted white, as it always has been. A feature of the house is the wide clapboards. The original small-paned windows have been kept, so that the exterior remains practically unchanged. Who the carver was is unknown. It must be remembered that in those days ship carvers were employed to work upon the ornamentation of the ships, so that it was probably some one employed by the Daltons on their vessels who designed and carried out the carving of the woodwork, both on the exterior and in the interior.

The entrance door gives into a large hall with wonderfully fine panellings on either side. Each of the three balusters has a different design. The stairs are box stairs leading by low treads to a wide landing, where a colonial window admits a flood of light to the hall. A second low flight of stairs leads to the second story, where the hall corresponds with the lower one. It is here the Hepplewhite chairs are found and also a wonderful picture of the late Tristram Dalton, painted later in life than the one already mentioned. The woodwork in this house is considered the finest to be found in any house in Newburyport. The hall is finished in panel effects, but the door-casings and the fireplaces in many instances show rich hand-carving.

The house contains twenty-five rooms, sixty cupboards, and ample halls, and yet even then was scarcely large enough to accommodate the Dalton family, their many guests, and their servants. Many of the latter were slaves, who in those days were kept in the household. One of them was buried on Burying Hill in Newburyport, and on a stone placed at the head of his grave is carved "Faithful Pompey."

The living-room, or drawing-room as it was called in those days, is a large, square room that is at the left of the hallway. In this room are shown the pictures of many of the distinguished guests who in former years were visitors at the house and intimate friends of the owner. The fireplace is a large one, the woodwork hand-carved, and in the large panels above has been inserted the Dalton coat of arms. The windows are recessed, showing window-seats; each one has the hinged shutter such as was used in the early days for security, being closed and barred every night. These are still used in this same way in this mansion to-day. A feature of this room is the fine wood-carving shown in the casing of the door. At one side, hanging on the wall, is a scrap of the old wall-paper that once adorned the wall. It is of seventeenth-century pattern, with garlands, and is finished in light colors and pink groundwork, a delicate and most unusual wall-paper. This is the only room in the house, so far as is known, which was covered with the old-time wall-paper.

At the right are double parlors which may have been used for dining-room, or living-room and dining-room, combined. Here are also found wonderful panellings, but very little of the elaborate hand-carving. All of the wood in this house, as in most of the houses of the same period, is of white pine, for this wood is considered one of the best wearing kinds that has ever grown. The timbers are of solid oak and are as staunch as they were in the days when the house was built. In these rooms have been entertained the dignitaries of the land, while in the parlor were celebrated the marriages of the daughters of the household.

The mansion has an atmosphere of attraction and spaciousness rarely found in houses of this description. It is shown in the abundance of light and in the arrangement of the rooms, which have been planned for elaborate entertaining. At the rear of the house are the servants' quarters. The large, old-fashioned fireplace, where in former days the cooking for the Dalton family was done, is now a thing of the past, modern appliances having replaced the spit and the large brick oven. The ell of the house, a part of which was removed, was originally nearly as large as the main portion. It was once used exclusively for servants' quarters, and even then was barely large enough for the enormous retinue that was needed to run the Dalton household.

Up-stairs the rooms correspond to the large ones downstairs, with the exception that on the right-hand side a partition divides what was formerly a large room into two smaller ones. These rooms still show the same fine panelling, the old-time brass locks and hardware that were features of the house at the time of its building. They have never been replaced by modern fixtures.

The third story was used for guests' rooms, the slope of the roof being eliminated by boarding the gambrel roof so as to make square chambers. The old chimneys, six feet square, have been taken down, and small ones have replaced them. The railing of this house, which was originally a two decker, has been removed and while not materially changing its appearance, still gives it a little different look. An iron fence has been substituted for the old paling fence which once enclosed the grounds, while new posts have replaced the old ones. The courtyard is grassed over, also the space between house and fence, and a wide, paved stone walk leads to the entrance porch. In 1796 this house was sold, together with Dalton's other residences, after he had been defeated for re-election, a serious disappointment, although his letters written at the time do not show any signs of anger or ill-nature.

The Pipestave Hill Great Farm residence was sold for thirty-seven hundred pounds, while his land on State Street brought a much lower sum. The house was practically cleared of all the Dalton furniture, the household goods being carefully packed and shipped on a sailing vessel bound to Georgetown, District of Columbia. During the voyage the vessel was wrecked, and a part of his household belongings were thus lost. Since then the house has passed into various hands. Fortunately the different owners venerated the old homestead and it has been carefully preserved, so that notwithstanding its many years of life, it is practically in perfect condition.