LETTER: One Of Wilmington’s Oldest Houses Is At Risk Of Demolition

Dear Members of the Community,

It is with a heavy heart that we inform the community of a credible threat to the Ephraim Buck / Daniel Eames House, located at 584 Woburn Street.

The Ephraim Buck / Daniel Eames House (pictured), is under threat of acquisition by a private developer and subsequently demolished. This parallels the danger once faced by the historic Harnden Tavern, a loss that was prevented only thanks to the community’s support.

Built in 1720 by Ephraim Buck III, this home is one of the oldest surviving structures in Wilmington. Predating the town’s incorporation, it stands as a rare, tangible link to our earliest days of settlement. Today, it serves as the cornerstone of the Buck’s Corner Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Beyond its architecture, the home is deeply woven into our town’s folklore. Ephraim Buck is immortalized in the “Legend of the Bear Oak” for hunting the last wild bear in Wilmington.

The family’s legacy continued with Ephraim’s son, Nathan. In 1774, Nathan served as the Constable of Wilmington. In a potential act of defiance believed to be the town’s first protest against Great Britain, Nathan refused to pay collected taxes to the King’s Treasurer, remitting them to the Massachusetts Treasurer instead.

The property eventually passed to the Eames family. In 1723, Daniel Eames purchased the home. He married Abigail Harnden Nourse, a survivor of the Harnden Massacre and the widowed daughter-in-law of a victim of the Salem Witch Trials. The Eames family stewarded the property for generations; notably, Lemuel Cobb Eames, a chair of the board selectman and State Legislator, resided here in 1880.

In recent decades, Wilmington has lost numerous of its earliest homes. Each loss permanently alters the character of our town and removes important pieces of history.

We are asking for the community’s support to protect this important site. Please help us raise awareness by sharing this news, and ensure that all our community members are aware of this potential loss.

Bonny Smith, Chair
Historical Commission
Town of Wilmington