Unique Houses

Joseph Brown House // 1774

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Constructed in 1774 by architect Joseph Brown (1733-1785) of the Brown family of Rhode Island as his personal residence, the John Brown House of Providence, stands as one of the oldest (if not the oldest) house built by an American architect for his own use. Joseph Brown, while a member of the Brown Family, was not as much in the shipping business as others in his family, instead turning his attention to scientific matters, becoming an expert in astronomy, electrification, and architecture. He was an architect in the Thomas Jefferson-gentleman mode, owning English architectural books from which he selected motifs for inclusion in his designs. It is believed that the eccentric curved ogee gable that caps the façade was adapted from the roof design of a garden house published in William Salman’s Palladio Londinensis, owned by Joseph Brown’s builder, Martin Seamans. The same ogee gable was later replicated in the Colonial Revival period in Providence. The residence’s entrance was originally raised above ground and accessed via symmetrical flights of stairs; in the late 18th century, the entrance was moved to street level in the brownstone basement level. Over a decade after Joseph’s death in 1785, the structure was acquired by the Providence Bank, an enterprise founded by Brown’s brothers John and Moses, and used as an office. The bank occupied the structure until 1929, and the Joseph Brown House was subsequently owned by the Counting House Corporation, and still appears to be owned by descendants of the Brown Family.

Delano Warehouse and Wharf // 1803

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In 1802, Kingston-based merchants and landowners Benjamin Delano and brother-in-law Peter Winsor built this stone wharf and warehouse at Rocky Nook, a small peninsula at the end of the Jones River where it meets Plymouth Bay. The Rocky Nook had several warehouses in the early 1800’s which were used to hold cargo for the busy Kingston vessels that carried passengers and goods all down the eastern seaboard for transit, with larger vessels sent to the West Indies for trade. Benjamin Delano and his son Joshua either owned or partly owned 37 vessels between 1803 and 1882 and were a wealthy family that built their fortune on shipbuilding and trade. The warehouse, built at the end of the wharf was used to store goods and also served as a ship chandlery, a store selling goods needed for newly outfitted ships that were berthed up the Jones River.  A combination of the coming of the railroad and the need for faster and bigger vessels caused the decline of the shipping business in Kingston in the late 19th century with the shipbuilding industry largely evaporating by the 20th century. The Delano warehouse at the end of the wharf has since been converted to a private residence yet retains its unique character and siting with arguably the best view in town. 

Old Kingston Town House // 1841

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Overlooking the town green in Kingston, Massachusetts, this stately Greek Revival home was once the original town house for the community, containing meeting hall, town offices and even a jail cell! Before we go into that further, it is helpful to learn about history first. Present-day Kingston was within the tribal homeland of the Wampanoag people, who in the decades prior to the arrival of the Mayflower, saw their populations decimated from a rapidly spreading pandemics due to earlier contacts with Europeans. Originally part of Plymouth, Kingston was first settled by Europeans shortly after the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock in 1620. In 1717, residents in the northern part of Plymouth petitioned the General Court to be set off from Plymouth as a separate township or a precinct. They were allowed to become the north precinct of Plymouth on the condition that they maintain a suitable minister. The northern precinct was wealthier and led to present-day Kingston incorporating as its own town in 1726, following a tax dispute. Early town meetings were held in the parish church until the separation of church and state necessitated a new town hall. The town hall here was built in 1841. As the town grew the building was re-oriented southward and enlarged in 1871 from plans by architect Luther Briggs. Further alterations were made to the building in 1935 under the guidance of the architectural firm of J. Williams Beal & Sons. In the early 2000s, space, parking, and accessibility concerns led the Town of Kingston to sell the 1841 Town House, which was purchased by private owners and converted to a residence. Inside, remnants of the old town house include old signs, office doors for city departments, former vaults converted to closets, and even a jail cell in the basement. Talk about a unique adaptive reuse!

Dr. Edson F. Whitman House // 1852 

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One of the most eccentric and architecturally unique houses in Somerville can be found on Bow Street, in the middle of the busiest commercial district of the city. This is the Dr. Edson F. Whitman House (often known as the E.C. Mann House), which was built around 1852 and long-occupied by Dr. Whitman until just before his death in 1900. The house was likely a modest, 1850s Italianate style residence with its gable facing the street. Over time, as business increased, Dr. Whitman expanded his house and practice, adding Victorian flair to the once usual house. An entry tower with pyramidal roof and final was added with quatrefoil window and Stick style porch, an angled two-story addition was also added to the facade with a second-story porch, and applied ornament and curiosities were added to the doctor’s office and residence through the 19th century. Luckily for us, the Dr. Whitman house has remained relatively unaltered for the next 125 years! 

Wadleigh – Friend House // 1893

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One of the most beloved houses in Somerville, Massachusetts is this beauty on Highland Avenue, known best for the unique assemblage of colorful found objects in the front yard, as a living museum. The residence was built in 1893 for William Y. Wadleigh, a wholesale grocer who operated markets all over the region. The house is an eclectic blending of Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles with an asymmetrical plan and rounded corner tower taken from Victorian styles, along with a classical porch and swan’s neck pedimented dormers at the roof, clearly Colonial Revival in style. Today, the Wadleigh House is best-known for its owner, artist Martha Friend, who has preserved the house, and created an enchanting, ever-evolving installation outside and inside the residence. Sapphire City, an installation in the front yard, draws passersby in to see the assemblage of blue bottles and Dance Party, an assortment of animals at the porch roof, make the house a favorite in the neighborhood. It is houses and owners like this that make Somerville such a vibrant and great place to live and explore.

Lane-Smith-Bailey House // 1848

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The most colorful house in Rockland, Massachusetts can be found on Union Street, the town’s busiest corridor, lined with houses and buildings of all ages and styles. The Lane-Bailey House was built in 1848 for Marshall Lane, a shoe manufacturer in town. The Greek Revival style residence features a gable roof oriented towards the street, which reads as a pediment and a full-length columned porch that wraps around the side of the home. The property was purchased in the early 20th century by William Andrew Grant Smith (1863-1908), a wealthy jeweler, who apparently added a second floor to the house, up from a 1-1/2 story cottage, and likely added the wrap-around porch at this time. Jumping ahead to the turn of the 21st century, the prominent house was owned by Brad and Sam Bailey, who painted the residence bold colors, added a wishing well and birdhouses to the front yard, and replaced the traditional grass lawn with crushed seashells. In an article talking about the house, Brad Bailey stated, “We do it because lots of things in life [that] are dull. Our house shouldn’t have to be.” Despite the polarizing thoughts and opinions from those who walk or drive by, the house is loved and certainly causes people to stop and smile!

John Wales House // c.1885

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In the mid-1880s, John Wales, a wealthy hardware dealer with offices in Downtown Boston, purchased house lots in the Cottage Farm area of Brookline from Amos A. Lawrence, and set out develop the site with two stately Victorian homes. This lovely home was first occupied by John’s son, George Wales and his wife, Mabel, the year of their marriage in 1885. While the architect is unclear, it is probable that the design can be attributed to architect William Whitney Lewis, who was hired by John Wales the year prior to design a stable near his home in an adjacent neighborhood. The house was rented by Wales and subsequent owners for years. The elaborate Queen Anne style house exhibits an asymmetrical plan with recessed entrance set within an arched opening, shinged and brick walls with a prominent chimney at the facade containing a decorative terra cotta panel, and the most unique stucco gables containing what appear to be terracotta balls in geometric forms. This house is a perfect example of what is so special about the Queen Anne style!

Rowe House // 1911

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The Rowe House at 11 Mason Street is an over-the-top, and high-style example of the Colonial Revival style, showcasing the oversized proportions and scale that architects in the early 20th century followed when referencing Colonial American architecture. The house here was built in 1911 for Edward Prescott Rowe (1879-1936) and his wife, Eleanor Livingstone. Designed by the firm of Rowe & Keyes of Boston and New York, the commission was likely a relative of Mr. and Mrs. Rowe. The symmetrical house features a broad gambrel roof with Palladian windows in the side gable and central dormer at the facade, large pilasters breaking up the bays on the facade, a projecting Colonial Revival entry, and squat windows at the second floor terminating at the entablature above. The property even retains its Colonial Revival gateway.

Renton Whidden House // 1912

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One of the finest Arts and Crafts style “cottages” in the Cottage Farm neighborhood of Brookline, Massachusetts, can be found on Ivy Street as the Whidden House. The property here was developed by Renton Whidden (1859-1942), a real estate developer and politician elected into the Massachusetts House of Representatives, who purchased a house lot from Thomas B. Hall, who owned a house next door. Renton Whidden hired architect, Arthur Hunnewell Bowditch, to furnish plans for the large home, which was completed in 1912. The stucco house features a brick entrance with projecting roof off the front, a unique twin gabled facade, segmental arched dormers, and a Palladianesque window and balconette above the front door.

Hugh G. Brown House // 1905

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Eclectic houses of the late 19th and early 20th centuries are my favorite as they showcase how architects of the time blend features and break the strict mold of academic styles. This example is found in the Cottage Farm neighborhood of Brookline and dates to 1905. Designed by relatively unknown architect, Alfred Lyman Darrow, who studied at MIT, before opening his own practice. The house was first owned by Hugh G. Brown, who founded the Brown’s News Company and the Hotel & Railroad News Company. The house exhibits half-timbering in the gable ends and decorative corbelled chimneys that derive from the Tudor Revival; the front porch parapet appears to derive from the Spanish Mission style; along with stucco siding and unique windows typical of the Arts and Crafts movement.