Cottage House

Upland Farmhouse // 1929

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The Nashoba Valley Winery in Bolton, Massachusetts, is one of Bolton’s most successful examples of the adaptation of an old agricultural property in the state. The land here was first developed as a farm in the early 19th century by Captain Martin Houghton (1779-1833). The farmland here, which has always had a scenic view, was called “Valley View Farm” later owner, William N. Felton (1835-1920). Sadly, the old farmhouse burned down in 1928, and the property was sold that year to Roy Clemens, an osteopathic doctor, who had this charming shingled cottage built in 1929. Roy and his wife, Laura, planted an apple orchard on the hills and named the property “Upland Farm”. Roy died in 1969 and Laura followed in 1981. With suburban development likely, the property was ultimately saved when it was purchased by Jack Partridge as the new home of the Nashoba Valley Winery, which was founded in Somerville in 1978. The winery specializes in fruit wines, and grows most of the fruits and berries for them on the property. The business expanded, adding a distillery, brewery and restaurant, and the beautiful grounds are often host to weddings and events.

Brown-Crocker House // c.1836

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In 1829, Riley Brown, a housewright, purchased a house lot at the corner of Thayer and Transit streets in Providence, and by 1836, built this charming gambrel-roofed cottage, which is one of the most charming in the city. Riley Brown lived in the house next-door at 6 Thayer Street (1829) and on available land, built this 1-1/2-story dwelling on a full-height raised basement on speculation. It is possible that the house could have dated to the 18th century, and was possibly moved to the site from a nearby location, given the distinct gambrel roof and Georgian qualities. The residence here was sold in 1836 to John Crocker, who resided here with his family until his death in 1865. The Brown-Crocker House stands out for its unusually high basement of brick and stone, with a stair ascending up to the central entry and the gentle saltbox roof off the rear. Two shed dormers were likely added in the 20th century to make the house’s second floor more liveable.

Joseph Lindsey Cottage // 1886

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While Marblehead is best-known for its Georgian and Federal period houses, there are some great examples of later styles, sometimes tucked behind and in side yards of earlier residences. This is the Joseph Lindsey Cottage on Washington Street, a vernacular, Folk Victorian style residence built in 1886 by carpenter and housebuilder, Joseph W. Lindsey (1823-1902). Mr. Lindsey lived nearby on High Street, and purchased an earlier house at 45 Washington Street by 1881, building this cottage five years later and rented both out to boarders. Joseph Lindsey worked his entire life as a carpenter, except for a few years when he and his brother, Philip B. Lindsey, travelled west to seek gold and fortune during the California Gold Rush. The Lindsey Family Papers are part of the collections of the Marblehead Museum. 

Richmond J. Lane House // c.1860

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Located next door to his brother’s house on Union Street in Rockland, Massachusetts, Richmond J. Lane, a shoe manufacturer, built this charming cottage for his family. Built around 1860 in the Second Empire style, this residence includes a concave mansard roof, dentilled cornice with brackets, and arched windows and dormers, and a stable at the rear. Richmond J. Lane (1826-1905) worked in shoe manufacturing and was said to have been instrumental in establishing the Hanover Branch Railroad, and served as president of local banks. The Richmond J. Lane house is an important, and well-preserved example of the Second Empire style in Rockland.

Charles Mason Cottage // 1853

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The Charles Mason Cottage at 89 Carlton Street is one of two extant brick cottages built by Amos A. Lawrence as part of his Cottage Farm neighborhood in Brookline, Massachusetts. The Gothic Revival style cottage was built around 1853 and owned by Lawrence for rental purposes. By 1861, this house had been sold to Reverend Charles Mason (1812-1862), who married Amos Lawrence’s late sister, Susanna. The property was inherited by the couple’s daughter, Mary and her husband, Howard Stockton, a lawyer and onetime president of American Bell Telephone Company. The Mason Cottage is unique for its brick construction, projecting entry with porches on either sides, lancet doors and window, wall and shed dormers at the roof, and the original windows with chimney pots.

Bates Cottage // 1853

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This Gothic Revival brick cottage is of several houses built by Amos A. Lawrence for his Cottage Farm neighborhood in Brookline, Massachusetts. After he built his own stone residence at the center of the estate, Lawrence erected a series of cottages in the vicinity which were rented or sold to family and friends. This house was listed as the “Bates House” in Amos Lawrence’s papers, likely referring to the renter of the property soon after the cottage was completed by 1853. After Amos Lawrence died in 1886, the estate was inherited by his daughter, Hetty S. Cunningham. The “Bates Cottage” was later acquired by Boston University, who in 1964, received town approval to convert the residence into offices for the Center for the Study of Liberal Arts Education. The cottage was expanded at the rear and is today home to the Boston University African American & Black Diaspora Studies Program.

Lavalette Perrin House // c.1844

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The perfect whimsical blending of the Classical Greek Revival and the intricate details of the Carpenter Gothic styles can be found under one roof in Goshen, Connecticut; this is the Lavalette Perrin House. Built c.1844 for Lavalette Perrin (1816-1889), who graduated from Yale in 1840, and became licensed to preach in 1843. Reverend Perrin was in his late 20s when he accepted the call to become the pastor of Goshen’s Congregational Church in 1843. Upon arriving to town, he had this residence built soon after, blending two differing styles in a blissful composition. Perrin remained in Goshen until he was called to New Britain in 1858, where he remained until his death. Unique architectural features of the home include the flushboard siding, pilaster-and-lintel framed doors and windows (very rare in this form), and wave-like bargeboards. What a special home!

“Villino” // 1882

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“Villino” was built in 1882 for $7,553, as a summer residence for Ms. Frances L. Skinner, a widow of the late Reverend Thomas Skinner. “Villino” was the work of the young firm of McKim, Mead & White, and it is one of the firm’s many Shingle style buildings, but one of the most compact. The asymmetrical 2½-story Shingle Style cottage sits atop a granite foundation with continuous shingles above. The entrance porch is tucked into the building mass on the side and its prominent tower with conical roof. The house is sited well into the landscape and unlike many other summer “cottages” the name Villino which is Italian for cottage, actually fits!


Streeter Cottage // 1882

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In 1881, Gilbert Streeter and his wife Rebecca purchased a small house lot in the Salem Willows for a summer cottage for them to retreat across town to during the warmer months. Gilbert Streeter was an amateur historian, businessman, publisher of the Salem Observer and was able to afford a second residence in his hometown. The Streeter cottage was built by 1882 and stands out not only for its excellent state of preservation, but for its unique architecture. The cross-gabled form cottage is covered in board-and-batten siding with bargeboards lining the eaves.

Joseph P. Allen Cottage // 1877

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One of the most picturesque and charming summer cottages (now year-round residences) in the Salem Willows neighborhood in Salem, Massachusetts is this Victorian on Bay View Avenue. The cottage was built around 1877 for Joseph Pray Allen (1822-1897) who was a police officer who likely climbed the ranks in the force to afford a second home in the city. The 1 1/2-story cottage has decorative bargeboards at the eaves and stick bracket at the gable. Perfection!

William Bates Summer Cottage // 1885

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While Salem is best-known for its First Period and Federal style buildings, the Salem Willows neighborhood features some of the finest Victorian summer cottages in the Boston area. This cottage was built in 1885 by William Marston Bates (1820-1912), a Salem-based dentist, as his summer retreat when not in the office. The Stick style cottage has a steep gable roof with jerkinhead clip at the facade and a wrap-around porch with decorative jigsawn bracketed details. The house is a well-preserved example of the style, examples of which are becoming less-and-less frequent in recent years.

Betteley Cottage // c.1883

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Albert Cabot Betteley (1816-1893) was an inventor and coal dealer in Boston. He invented an elevator to hoist goods into a warehouse, a peat grinder for the speedy drying of peat for fuel, and even patented wooden pavement…seriously. He eventually would build this home on Cobden Street in Roxbury where he and his wife Mary Jane would live out their retirement. While he didn’t “make it big” persay with his inventions, he exemplified the typical middle-class resident of Roxbury at the time and built this modest home, with its two-story form with octagonal bay, bracketed cornice, and mansard roof. The cottage was recently repainted the purple color, which I really enjoy!

George Cobb House // c.1865

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While most of the early homes in Newton Centre were built by a few landowners and rented to tenants, this charming Mansard cottage was owner-occupied from the start. Tucked away on the quiet (and appropriately named) Pleasant Street, the George Cobb House is one of the most beautiful old Victorians in the neighborhood. An early resident was George Washington Cobb (1840-1925) was a druggist who ran an apothecary in East Boston, and he made the long commute there every day from this house. The property has a mansard roof with pedimented dormer and three-story tower capped by a bell-cast mansard roof. Paneled pilasters and brackets add a lot of detail to the primary facade.

Harkness House // c.1730

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The award for the cutest house in Newport goes to this c.1730 beauty on Green Street! This charming Georgian cape house sits just one-and-a-half stories tall under a squat gambrel roof. The house was originally located at the corner of Thames Street and was moved at least twice until it was placed on its present site by the Newport Restoration Foundation, after they acquired it in 1983, restoring it soon after. The center-hall house has just two rooms on each floor with a central staircase and chimney. The small dormers add some light to the second floor without compromising the historic and architectural integrity of the cottage.