new england architecture

Stone Estate and Gate Lodges // 1910

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Jutting into Buzzards Bay in Marion, Massachusetts, Great Hill is significant not only as the highest point in town but it is also home to one of the grandest estates in New England. Before the present mansion and various outbuildings were constructed here in the early 20th century, the property was home to Marion House, a sprawling 1860s resort hotel that drew hundreds of summer guests every year. In the early 1900s, Boston financier and Hayden, Stone & Co. co-founder, Galen L. Stone (1862-1926) bought the entire 312-acre peninsula and had the old hotel torn down. In its place, Stone commissioned this massive Tudor-style stone mansion with a central Great Hall built from stone quarried in Pennsylvania and shaped on-site by dozens of stonecutters. The estate was designed by architect, Horace Frazer of the firm, Chapman & Frazer, and it takes strong design elements from the country estates in the English countryside. Inside, the spaces are finished largely in oak with the grounds dotted with formal gardens, greenhouses, by landscape architects, Shurcliff & Shurcliff. The castle-like Main House, was greatly reduced from its original size in the 1950s to make the residence more manageable for later descendants, but even over one hundred years later, it remains one of the most impressive English Revival country houses in the United States, and the property’s grounds are open on weekdays for walking and cycling on paved roads.

Point Rock Cottage // c.1894

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One of the many beautiful late 19th century shingled “cottages” overlooking Sippican Harbor in Marion, Massachusetts, Point Rock Cottage stands out not only for its siting on the waterfront, but also for its preservation. As any good summer cottage must have a name, Point Rock Cottage derives its name from its location overlooking the rocky coast and Sippican Harbor on the tip of the village. The Shingle style cottage was built for David W. Lewis (1833-1915) of Boston, who purchased the land in 1893 and had the house built soon after. Lewis began his career in the retail shoe business in Vermont until he enlisted in the Union Army in 1862, serving in the 9th Vermont Volunteer Regiment. Lewis rose to the rank of major and saw action in several major campaigns of the war. After the war, David Lewis married Elizabeth T. Willett and they moved to Hyde Park in Boston where he shifted professions and became a dealer in building materials, which he saw immediate success as many Boston areas saw development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The architect is not presently known, but it is probable that the cottage was designed by William Gibbons Preston or Charles Allerton Coolidge, both Boston architects who designed many of Marion’s summer homes and both of whom summered in Marion themselves. Architecturally, the residence is a blending of Shingle and Arts and Crafts styles with the low-pitched roof and continuous shingled cottage encircled by a one-story integrated porch supported by wood shingle clad rectangular posts with a Chinese-fret work railing.

Kittansett Club “Winter House” // 1925

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Across Sippican Harbor from the town village of Marion, Massachusetts, the Kittansett Club property provides some of the best views and recreation in town. The Kittansett Club was founded by a group of members of the Beverly Yacht Club in 1922, who at the time held some recreational uses on the tip of this peninsula, known as Butler’s Point. Kittansett was derived from two Native American words, “Kittan,” said to mean “sea,” and “Sett,” said to be a common word-ending for “near”, roughly translating to “near the sea”. The wealthy group of men who developed the peninsula with assistance from the Olmsted Brothers, landscape architects, totaling over 180 acres, a substantial portion was leased to the golf club while approximately 16 house lots were retained for those fronting the cost, to members of the club to help defer the expenses of developing the course. In 1925, the Kittansett Club undertook the construction of what became known as the “Winter House,” (the current clubhouse) which was a winterized building with heating and plumbing. The Colonial Revival building is sited so elegantly at the tip of Butler’s Point, looking out at Buzzards Bay. The buildings and grounds were heavily damaged by the Hurricane of 1938 and the property would soon after serve America’s defensive interests during World War II, when all of Butler’s Point was taken over by a Coast Artillery Unit. More than 100 G.l.s were billeted in Winter House. Today, the exclusive club is open to members and private events.

Blankinship House // 1852

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This perfect mid-19th century cottage showcases what makes coastal New England so special. Located on Main Street in the walkable historic center of Marion, Massachusetts, this 1852 home was built by Warren Blankinship (1816-1898), a carpenter, as his own residence. It was built just before his second marriage to Mercy Wing in 1853. A series of tragedies struck Blankinship’s marriages as he outlived three of his four wives. A well-preserved example of a modest Greek Revival home, it is clad in cedar shingles, a hallmark of many coastal homes in New England. White Cedar shingles are so popular historically as the species is such a hard wood that pieces are naturally insect and rot resistant and hold up amazingly well to salt air. Early colonists noted the use of the tree for canoes and other objects by Native people and followed suit, constructing homes from the native tree.

Tabor Academy Building – Marion Town Hall // 1876

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This building, one of the most architecturally significant in the town of Marion, Massachusetts, was constructed in 1876 as a new academy building in the community. When built, Marion was not yet a summer resort community and suffered the decline of the shipbuilding and sea-faring trades that saw the region prosper throughout much of the first half of the 19th century. The new academy building was largely funded by Marion resident, Elizabeth Sprague Pitcher Tabor (1791- 1888). Following the death of her wealthy husband, New Bedford clockmaker and whaling vessel shareholder Stephen Taber, Mrs. Taber focused her attention on improving the circumstances of her hometown of Marion by financing and overseeing construction of new buildings in town. In her later years, Elizabeth founded Tabor Academy in Marion, naming it after Mount Tabor in Palestine rather than after herself (but the close spelling was likely intentional). Tabor Academy served as a private school for boys and girls over 12 years of age, and was to remain free for local students. With the rise of public schools in the state, many academies began to struggle with admitting students, especially those that had parents willing to pay additional money for enrollment. The school struggled around the Great Depression and thus, traded buildings with the Town of Marion in the 1930s and this building became the Marion Town Hall, a use it retains to this day. The building itself is a stunning Italianate design, likely constructed from plans by Boston architect and summer resident in Marion, William Gibbons Preston. The Town of Marion has done an exceptional job maintaining and preserving this significant and iconic piece of architecture and local history into the 21st century.

Sherman’s Inn – Beverly Yacht Club // 1784

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One of the oldest homes in Marion, Massachusetts is this beautiful gambrel-roofed Cape house on Water Street, backing up to the town’s iconic harbor. The residence dates to at least 1784 constructed seemingly as an inn for sailors who would dock their ships in the harbor just behind the property. It was later acquired by Edward Sherman (1790-1867), a shipwright and carpenter who built schooners at the wharfs in town, becoming Sherman’s Inn. In 1868, his son Edward Franklin Sherman (1821-1907), also a ship carpenter, sold the waterfront property after his father’s death to Andrew A. Harwood, an admiral in the United States Navy, Commodore of the Washington Navy Yard, and through his mother, a great-grandson of Benjamin Franklin! During the early twentieth century, the iconic property became the home of Dr. William McDonald, physician to Franklin D. Roosevelt during the 1920s. Roosevelt sought Dr. McDonald’s medical advice after contracting polio. The Beverly Yacht Club acquired the building in 1955 and have maintained the building ever since. Interestingly, the Beverly Yacht Club was originally named after the town of Beverly, north of Boston, when members broke from the Eastern Yacht Club of Marblehead. For the first 23 years, the club had no fixed location, but eventually settled in Bourne, and then merged with the local Sippican Yacht Club. The Great Hurricane of 1938 destroyed their clubhouse and they were “homeless” for years until moving to Marion into this 1784 home, later expanding it to meet growing needs.


Captain Luce & Captain Bates House // c.1790

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Reportedly built in 1790, this stately Federal period residence on Main Street in Marion and overlooks the sheltered harbor sharing strong connections to the sea. Known colloquially as the House of the Two Captains, this residence was built as a double house and known for its connections to sea captains, Elisha E. Luce (1786-1850) and Noble E. Bates. Captain Luce moved into this house shortly after his marriage to Jane Hiller, daughter of a local Deacon. Particularly note-worthy is the main facade’s center entrance, which exhibits unusually fine surrounds, including fluted Doric pilasters and a pediment enlivened by dentils. Inside, the house is said to have hidden passages behind a large fireplace. The captains used part of the house as a crockery and supplies store. Captain Elisha E. Luce’s best-known ship was the Persia, which made numerous profitable trade missions to the Far East. This house was also the birthplace of the Universalist Church in Marion, when during the early 1830s, Universalists met in Captain Bates’ half of the house to organize a religious society and plan the construction of the church. The Luce and Bates families co-owned this house until the mid-19th century and the residence remains one of the finest in the harbor village. 

South Tamworth Union Hall // 1894

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The village of South Tamworth, New Hampshire grew during the 19th century. In 1824, a Methodist Episcopal Society organized, and constructed the South Tamworth United Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832. Lumber mills, homes, a store and blacksmith shop were built and the small hamlet thrived. Also at this time, the local Women’s Christian Temperance Union was active in South Tamworth, and reported that they were, “holding the fort, and trying to keep the boys from drinking cider.” In 1894, 30 South Tamworth residents banded together to establish the Union Hall Association, to “promote the causes of Temperance, Religion, Education and Music among ourselves, our associates and successors, and for the general good of the public.” This structure, Union Hall, was built around the time of the association’s founding in 1894 and is a vernacular example of a New England community building. Since its construction, the South Tamworth Union Hall has served as a vital community space hosting dances, community meetings, and local events. By the late 20th century, the building began to show its age and with little use, the hall was threatened with demolition. A band of area residents fundraised and oversaw a restoration of the building in the 1980s with the Union Hall Association continuing to rent the building to local organizations and for private functions, preserving the important role the structure has played in the history of the local community.

Shepard Block, Ashland // 1907

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Located on Main Street in Ashland, New Hampshire, the Shepard Block is an architecturally distinctive mixed-use building constructed of a less common building material for commercial buildings, concrete blocks. Now known as concrete masonry units, concrete blocks exploded onto the building scene in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with a flurry of different patents for block designs and production. After Harmon Palmer invented the first commercially successful concrete block machine in 1900, the industry expanded rapidly with multiple manufacturers producing the blocks with their stone-like surface created through either a mold or the use of special aggregates in the concrete mix. Although stonelike concrete blocks were popular for the first quarter of the 20th century, they fell out of fashion following World War II. The Shepard Block in Ashland was built in 1907 by owner, Henry Harrison Shepard who, ironically, made his fortune as a lumber dealer. The upper floor contained a public hall space for the local Mount Prospect Lodge of Masons, and now the building contains 36 apartments and three retail spaces at the ground floor, a great way to provide housing without sacrificing history and character of a Main Street.

Rufus Underhill House // c.1870

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The Rufus Underhill House in Billerica, Massachusetts, is an excellent example of the eclectic nature of residential architecture seen in the United States during the Victorian period following the conclusion of the Civil War. Without a clear distinguishing style, the house stands out for its unique form, architectural details, lancet windows and side four-story tower, all with paint colors to highlight and accentuate its distinctive features. The house and accompanying stable were built around 1870 for Rufus K. Underhill (1819-1894) and his wife, Deborah, as a place to spend their retirement. Rufus Underhill was born in Chester, NH and worked as a blacksmith, later establishing the Underhill Edged Tool Co. in Nashua later expanding to sales in Boston.

Thaddeus Leavitt Jr. House // 1800

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One of the many grand homes on Main Street in Suffield is this Federal style home built in 1800 for a 21-year-old Thaddeus Leavitt. Like his father, Thaddeus was a merchant with a store in Suffield and . Immediately after the home was completed, Thaddeus got married and moved into the home with his new wife, Jemima Loomis. The home was altered in the 1850s with Italianate features including a belvedere and bay windows, which lasted into the 20th century. Since then, the home was restored back to its original Federal style.

Phelps-Hatheway House // c.1762

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Set back from tree-lined Main Street in Suffield, Connecticut, the Phelps-Hatheway House stands as one of the largest, and best-preserved Colonial era homes in New England. The center-chimney residence was built by 1762 by Thomas “Shem” Burbank, where he and his wife, Anna Fitch Burbank, raised nine children. Due to the unstable national economy during and after the American Revolution, the family’s financial situation suffered and they would sell the residence in 1788 to Oliver Phelps. at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, Phelps joined the Continental Army and fought in the Battle of Lexington. He served as Deputy Commissary under George Washington and following the War, he became a prominent businessman and was elected to the Massachusetts Senate in 1785 and served on the Governor’s council in 1786 (Suffield was still a part of Massachusetts at this point). In 1794, Phelps commissioned the addition of a substantial wing designed by Thomas Hayden of Windsor. Under the employ of Hayden, a young Asher Benjamin, later to become one of the most important architects of the Federal period, was one of the workers on the new wing and is believed to have carved the Ionic capitals of the wing’s entryway. Inside, the addition was decorated with imported Parisian wallpaper. When Phelps died, the house was owned by the Hatheway family for a century and is currently open as a house museum, the Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden, administered by Connecticut Landmarks.

Elihu Kent Jr. House // 1787

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In 1775, when news of the Battle of Lexington reached Suffield, Connecticut, Elihu Kent Sr. (1733-1814) at the age of 42, took command of a local militia of 59 men the next day. The militia, along with his son Elihu Kent Jr. (then 16 years old) and a person whom he enslaved, Titus Kent, marched to Springfield, before heading east to Boston. The troops would end up on Long Island and Elihu Kent Jr. was captured by British forces and confined for a long time as a prisoner of war in the old Rhinelander Sugar House in New York. After his return to Suffield, Elihu Kent Jr. had this Georgian home on Main Street built for his family, where he ran an inn and operated a farm.

Old Kent Memorial Library // 1899

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In 1897, Sidney A. Kent (1834-1900), a native of Suffield, Connecticut and later a successful Chicago businessman, sought to gift his hometown a library in the memory of his parents, Albert and Lucinda Kent, who died nearly a half-century earlier. A site was purchased from the Suffield Academy and funding was set aside for the new library before the turn of the 20th century. For the memorial building in Suffield, Sidney Kent hired architectural giant, Daniel Burnham, designer of the famous Flatiron Building in New York, who had also designed Kent’s home in Chicago. The Kent Memorial Library was dedicated in 1899 and is a stunning example of a library built in the Classical and Beaux Arts styles. Executed in smooth, granite ashlar, the facade has a central portico of two Ionic columns in antis and a shallow dome in the center of the copper clad roof. The library would eventually be outgrown and a contemporary library was built nearby on the town’s Main Street. The old Kent Memorial Library was acquired by Suffield Academy and renamed the S. Kent Legare Library.


Gay Mansion // 1795

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In 1795, Ebenezer King Jr. (1762-1824) bought 26 acres of land on Main Street in Suffield, Connecticut, to build this stately manse. He at the time was at the height of his prosperity and lived lavishly from his new mansion until he sold his property in 1811. King’s estate was purchased by William Gay (1767-1844), a prominent lawyer and the son of Ebenezer Gay, who had been the longtime pastor of the Congregational church and lived nearby. Aside from his law practice, William Gay was also the postmaster of the town for 35 years, and for much of that time the post office was located here in his living room. The home remained in the Gay Family for generations until it was eventually purchased by Suffield Academy for use as the headmaster’s home. The symmetrical Federal style residence features a five-by-five-bay square form with center entrance. The facade is dominated by an elaborate Federal style entry with fanlight transom and Palladian stairhall window on the second floor, which is mimicked with a smaller version in the gabled peak at the roof.