Man Restores Pilgrim Home from 1665 to its Original Glory

Doug Towle considers old homes his children. The lifelong bachelor has spent much of his adult life restoring antique buildings, including one of his most recent: a 1665 Pilgrim house that had been in the same Billerica, Massachusetts, family for 12 generations. The house had to be moved, so Towle carefully documented and disassembled the structure, then spent the next three and a half years restoring it.

He dug up some 35,000 bricks that were buried outside of 18th-century homes, knocked on strangers’ doors in search of vintage glass and straightened 100 salvaged handmade rosette nails every night before bed. “I don’t have any children and grandchildren,” says Towle, who’s vice president of marketing at Globe Firefighter Suits. “It’s a legacy thing.”

[kendraphipps]

Thank you for your passion to save America’s history as authentically as possible.

[purselmer]

I am a historian and wow. Especially the school house. Those kids can go IN it and SIT in it and really LIVE history. What a gift.

[frugalmomofmany]

This video literally made me cry. We just bought a historic 1767 home in NC. We are raising our eight children here and love it! I want so much to restore everything and decorate with period furniture, but money is too tight for that now. I feel so privileged to live in the home of a Revolutionary War soldier whose sacrifices made our freedom possible. I want to honor him and his family in everything I work on in this home. I wish I could have a historian tell me more about him, his house, and his life. Your home is absolutely amazing! You have done a beautiful job restoring it! Thank you for sharing it with all of us. I am so thankful for history lovers who preserve the past.

[mikems]

What a fascinating man. His articulate manner of speaking was also wonderful as he explained his gem.

[alexandra]

Not many people in the world who have the passion for proper restoration and preservation. Thank you for saving the beautiful architecture of our country’s history⭐️🌞

[jeffreybobbitt]

I admire this man for using his substantial resources to preserve pieces of history for future generations. He sees himself not as an owner of historical items/ property, but as a steward.

[jomama]

Amazing and beautiful! Glad there are people out there who care about our history.

[Brembelia]

This is all very nostalgic for me. I grew up in New England and have always loved "Saltbox" houses. I was fortunate because my mother also loved period furniture and decorated this way. For a time, I worked for the Wayside Inn on the Boston Post Road in Sudbury, Massassachusetts. I was actually the "school marm" for the one room school house near the Inn. This little red school is the one from the nursery rhyme Mary Had A Little Lamb. I wore skirts to the floor and taught on small slate chalk boards. It's wonderful to see all of this again. It was a much softer, gentler time when people valued each other. Thanks for sharing.

[garyable]

Sir as someone from the old country who restored old houses I take my hat off to you. Your work is obviously a labor of love and it shows, well done.

[ms.sonshine]

So glad it has remained original. What a masterpiece.

[JamesPollMaine]

This home is exquisite and of the highest taste and refinement. What a treasure you have created.

[rankine]

Beautiful an absolutely stunning renovation.

[aikofujita]

Doug Towle's vision and generosity to share the results with the children and the rest of local and world communities brought me to tears. Thank you Doug Towle and Houzz!

[DenisejohnNailEd]

This is just wonderful what he has done . It's beautiful .

[MTknitter]

I so admire those with the historical education, the taste and well, all the MONEY it takes to properly care for, properly renovate and preserve these New England treasures!!

[QueenCityHistory]

absolutely fantastic job!!! you deserve a preservation award!

[chrisallen]

Doug, your house is astoundingly magnificent. What a blessing to have someone who loves it so much and has the resources to keep it in museum condition. Obviously you are an Old Soul that lived in that time period. You have too much knowledge, taste and ability to place objects just as they would have been. May God bless you and Pilgrim House.

[janedoe]

It is absolutely georgous!! Takes us back in time when homes had character, wood was cherished and not painted over. So so fantastically done!!❤

[guerillagardner]

Wow! Thank you so much for preserving a little bit of Americana! Your love for it is evident! Just stunning! Everything is pristine!

[TrishTruitt]

Thank you so much, Mr. Towle. This is incredible! A beautiful and amazing piece of history.