Once an old, handsome house with brick ends and four chimneys, it was known as the Hager homestead. It was built in 1800. Deacon James Kimball and his brother, Daniel, lived here. They were the sons of Lucy (Dutton) and Deacon Daniel Kimball (b. Haverhill, July 14, 1751; d. Littleton, 1813), who came to Littleton just prior to the Revolutionary War in which he earned the rank of lieutenant. Married in 1779, Lucy and Daniel Kimball had 12 children, 9 of whom survived and remained in Littleton establishing one of the most notable families in town with sixty, local descendants by 1890. Deacon James Kimball (b. Littleton, 1783), second son of Lucy and Deacon Daniel Kimball, married Rachel Hartwell of Littleton. He was active in both the abolitionist and temperance movements. He became a deacon in the First Church of Littleton but promoted the founding of the Orthodox Congregational Church hosting an organizational meeting for the latter in this house. Deacon James Kimball served as town clerk from 1838 to 1851, was a member of the Board of Selectmen for many years and was elected several times to the State Legislature. He was an active member of the Lyceum and housed the circulating library in this dwelling for a number of years. James and Rachel (Hartwell) Kimball were the parents of Henry Dix Kimball born about 1829. Henry Dix was named as the “Littleton Giant” by Henry David Thoreau who often saw him driving his team of horses to Boston. He stood more than 7 feet tall and had stooped shoulders from trying to appear shorter. Barnum and Bailey Circus wanted to put him in the circus as a curiosity. Tired of the ridicule, Kimball built a new house with no doors or windows facing the street. His 16” “giant’ shoe is on display at the Littleton Historical Society.
The property next passed to Sophie (Kimball) Hurter, sister of James and Daniel Kimball. She married William Hurter of Mobile, Alabama in 1840 and later lived in Jacksonville, Florida. They sold the property c. 1857 to Edwin Robinson who transferred it the following year to Augustus Hager who c. 1875 owned a slaughterhouse across the street (not extant). The residence was apparently inherited by his son, Leslie A. Hager a travelling salesman in the early twentieth century. Hager sold Moxie in the 1940s and rode in a distinctive “Moxie Horsemobile.”
Until recently, there had been few changes in the architectural structure of the house except for the roof which was changed three times. The rooms were spacious with fireplaces in each. However, the property has been sold to a senior co-housing community and is unrecognizable from its original building.