porches

Wrentham Village Hall – Daniel Cook Store // 1853

Buildings of New EnglandLeave a comment

Arguably the most recognizable and beloved building in Wrentham, Massachusetts, is this eclectic mid-19th century commercial building, known as the Wrentham Village Hall. The structure was originally constructed for Daniel A. Cook where he operated a store in the ground floor retail space and rented a meeting hall to local organizations above. The building was constructed around 1853 as a more vernacular building, but given its current appearance decades later when the ornate Stick style porches were added to the facade. While the building has served many uses over its history, the structure is suffering from some deterioration, which hopefully will not impact the rare surviving exposed porch framing and trusses, which give the building so much character.

Hattie Furbush House // 1888

Buildings of New EnglandLeave a comment

Located next to the Harrison Henry Atwood House on Alban Street in the Ashmont Hill neighborhood of Dorchester, this stately home with a broad, gambrel roof oriented to face the street was also built by the architect and neighbor, Harrison H. Atwood. Appointed City Architect of Boston in 1889, Atwood designed schools, firehouses, and other public buildings, and just before this, designed a number of homes, primarily in the Shingle and Queen Anne styles in Ashmont. While he specialized in Victorian styles, Atwood was well-versed in the Colonial Revival style, as evidenced here. Built in 1888, this stunning house was constructed for owner, Harriett “Hattie” Dinsmore Furbush (1862-1950), who was an active member in a local organization, the Ashmont Tourists Club, a women’s social club devoted to talking books, travel, and life. The club often met in the library of Ms. Furbush’s home, which likely migrated out to the gorgeous enclosed porch with its multi-light windows.

Bread Loaf Campus – Maple Cottage // c.1900

Buildings of New EnglandLeave a comment

Welcome back to the Bread Loaf Campus! For more early history and context of the complex, check out the post on the Bread Loaf Inn. By 1900, owner Joseph Battell’s enterprise exceeded the capacity of the original inn, and cottages were added to accommodate more guests visiting his new permanent home in the mountains of Ripton, Vermont. Located adjacent to the Mansard-roofed Birch Cottage, one of the most visually striking buildings in the campus is Maple Cottage, which reads more porch than cottage, but it’s 100% perfect. It was the last cottage built by Battell for his family and friends to stay at when visiting. They must have loved evenings on the three-floors of porches looking out over the Green Mountains.