The Oldest Timber Framed House in America | Fairbanks House

Today’s ride took me just a few miles from Boston to the Fairbanks House in Dedham, Massachusetts — believed to be the oldest surviving timber framed house in the United States. What makes it even more incredible is that the structure was built without modern fasteners like nails or screws. Much of the frame is held together using traditional timber joinery techniques that have survived for centuries. Unfortunately, the tours were sold out by the time I arrived, so I couldn’t get inside. But I did get the chance to speak briefly with the museum’s Executive Director and learn a little more about the history of the house. Sometimes the best local history is hiding just a few miles away.