Queen Anne

Crossways Cottage // c.1890

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Tucked away in the town of Hunter in the Catskill Mountains of New York, the summer colony of Twilight Park has stood as an exclusive and private resort community established in the late 19th century. Twilight Park was born out of the Twilight Club, a Manhattan social club in the late-19th century and brought to life by founder, Charles F. Wingate. Mr. Wingate traveled to the mountaintop in 1887, and became enamored by its natural beauty. He arranged for the purchase of a former sheep’s meadow and led the construction of the first cluster of cottages in what would become a large community of over 100 summer homes. Cottages were laid out on roughly parallel roads at different elevations and on old connecting paths that later became roads with all lots built on ledges overlooking the Catskills. The first cottages were log cabins, and quickly followed by larger, Queen Anne style “cottages” as others invested in the development. Crossways Cottage is one of the many unique late-Victorian summer “cottages” in the exclusive Twilight Park colony in the Catskills of Hunter, New York. The cottage stands out for its cross-gable roof with overly deep eaves which are supported by rustic twig brackets, diamond sash windows, and the use of varied clapboard and shingle siding. 

Sans Souci Cottage // 1894

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Tucked away in the town of Hunter in the Catskill Mountains of New York, the summer colony of Twilight Park has stood as an exclusive and private resort community established in the late 19th century. Twilight Park was born out of the Twilight Club, a Manhattan social club in the late-19th century and brought to life by founder, Charles F. Wingate. Mr. Wingate traveled to the mountaintop in 1887, and became enamored by its natural beauty. He arranged for the purchase of a former sheep’s meadow and led the construction of the first cluster of cottages in what would become a large community of over 100 summer homes. Cottages were laid out on roughly parallel roads at different elevations and on old connecting paths that later became roads with all lots built on ledges overlooking the Catskills. The first cottages were log cabins, and quickly followed by larger, Queen Anne style “cottages” as others invested in the development. This cottage, known as Sans Souci Cottage, was built in 1894 in Twilight Park, during the “rustic” period, where Queen Anne Victorian styles made way for a more rustic, Arts and Crafts mode. The cottage was built for owner John McClure and it is notable for its varied siding, diamond-pane windows and large porch overlooking the Catskills.

Four Winds Cottage // 1889

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Tucked away in the town of Hunter in the Catskill Mountains of New York, the summer colony of Twilight Park has stood as an exclusive and private resort community established in the late 19th century. Twilight Park was born out of the Twilight Club, a Manhattan social club in the late-19th century and brought to life by founder, Charles F. Wingate. Mr. Wingate traveled to the mountaintop in 1887, and became enamored by its natural beauty. He arranged for the purchase of a former sheep meadow and led the construction of the first cluster of cottages in what would become a large community of over 100 summer homes. Cottages were laid out on roughly parallel roads at different elevations and on old connecting paths that later became roads with all lots built on ledges overlooking the Catskills. The first cottages were log cabins, and quickly followed by larger, Queen Anne style “cottages” as others invested in the development. This cottage, known as “Four Winds”, was built in 1889 during the first phase of development in Twilight Park, and it is notable for its varied siding, wrap-around porch, bay window, and elevated siting to provide better views of the landscape.

Braeside Cottage // 1888

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Tucked away in the town of Hunter in the Catskill Mountains of New York, the summer colony of Twilight Park has stood as an exclusive and private resort community established in the late 19th century. Twilight Park was born out of the Twilight Club, a Manhattan social club in the late-19th century and brought to life by founder, Charles F. Wingate. Mr. Wingate traveled to the mountaintop in 1887, and became enamored by its natural beauty. He arranged for the purchase of a former sheep meadow and led the construction of the first cluster of cottages in what would become a large community of over 100 summer homes. Cottages were laid out on roughly parallel roads at different elevations and on old connecting paths that later became roads with all lots built on ledges overlooking the Catskills. The first cottages were log cabins, and quickly followed by larger, Queen Anne style “cottages” as others invested in the development. This cottage, known as Brae Side Cottage, was built in 1888 during the first phase of development in Twilight Park, and it is notable for its varied siding, diamond-pane windows, complex roof form with dormers, and the laticed entry.

Lynch House // 1889

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One of the most unique and enchanting houses in the Ashmont Hill neighborhood of Dorchester is the Lynch House (aka the Sunflower House) at 102 Ocean Street, a landmark example of the Queen Anne architectural style. This residence was designed in 1889 by architect Samuel J. Brown, who worked in the firm of Cummings and Sears before opening his own office in Boston, where he specialized in residential designs. The first owners were Edward C. Lynch, a stair builder, and his wife, Petronella P. Lynch, who was born in Sweden and emigrated to the United States. Architecturally, the Lynch House features a prominent gambrel roof that swells out over the second-floor inset windows, clapboard and shingle siding, sawtooth shingled details over the windows, and the sunflower motif in a panel at the third floor.

George A. Eastman House and Stable // 1889

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Built between 1889-1891, the house and stable at 60 Ocean Street in the Ashmont Hill neighborhood of Dorchester was commissioned by George A. Eastman, a Harvard graduate and insurance executive. George Augustine Eastman married Anna C. Winsor in 1870, and the family would remain in this house for nearly 100 years. George Eastman worked as an insurance executive at the Boston office of the Liverpool & London & Globe Insurance Company of England for over 50 years, and built his home next-door to his brother’s at 42 Ocean Street. It is believed that the Eastman House and Stable were designed by local architect Edwin J. Lewis, who designed about a dozen other residences in the surrounding area at the same time. The old stable has been converted to residential use, a great way to adaptively reuse these old, well-built structures.

Clark-Cottle House // 1890

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One of the most sumptuous Victorian-era homes in Dorchester can be found at 94 Ocean Street, this is the Clark-Cottie House. The residence (and rear stable) was built in 1890 from plans by famed architect Arthur H. Vinal, who designed many other Shingle style and Queen Anne homes in the surrounding neighborhood. The first owners of the mansion were Evelyn and Edward Clark, who after a few years, sold the property to Edgar Cottle, president of the Curtis & Pope Lumber Company. The three-story Queen Anne style mansion features a rounded corner tower, varied shingle siding, shingled porch, and the intact, charming stable at the rear.

Frank and Laura Carter House // 1889

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Effortlessly blending the Shingle and Queen Anne architectural styles, the Frank and Laura Carter House at 107 Ocean Street in Ashmont, Dorchester, Massachusetts, is one of the finest Victorian residences in the neighborhood. The house was designed by famed local architect Arthur Vinal, who also furnished plans for the Dorchester Temple Baptist Church nearby that same year. The house was built for Frank Carter (1859-1950), treasurer of the Bay State Belting Company, and his new wife, Laura. Special details on the house include the polygonal bay capped by pyramidal roof, belt-course of shingles breaking up the facades, and stunning two-bay eyebrow dormer facing the street with shingled returns.

Hotel Mellen // 1894

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While Ashmont Hill in Dorchester is known for large, single-family Victorian houses, there are a number of grand apartment houses and three-deckers dispersed throughout the area, showing the evolution of housing in desirable neighborhoods in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is the Hotel Mellen, located at 18-20 Mellen Street, a multi-family building that architecturally blends in with its surroundings, not like many uninspiring boxes being built all over the region today. The property was developed by Louis Pfingst, a German streetcar designer and mechanic who was also active in the local Dorchester Gentlemen’s Driving Club. The building was designed by local architect Alexander B. Pinkham, who specialized in multi-family housing designs around Boston. The rounded bays, recessed porch in the gable, varied siding, and applied ornament, make the building stand out, while fitting well within its context of surrounding homes.

Higgins-Little House // 1890

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This “painted lady” on Roslin Street is one of the many fine Queen Anne Victorian houses in the Ashmont Hill neighborhood in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The residence was built in 1890 for original owner, Lewis H. Higgins, a master mariner who was born in Wellfleet before moving to Boston. Higgins seemingly resided here with his family for a short time until the house was sold in 1893 to Samuel and Grace Little. The house is perched on a hill and features a prominent rounded corner tower. The original porch with turned posts and gable detailing stand out with the intricate paint scheme used to highlight all of the amazingly preserved ornamentation. While paint schemes like these are not historic, they do bring joy to owners and passersby, and help viewers appreciate the care that these stewards take in maintaining their old homes.