Usually one of my first questions I have while touring a home is “when was the last time someone lived here?”. Although I don’t live in a historic home myself, I love the idea of occupying a space where everyday life has taken place for hundreds of years, and the Dexter Hemenway House in Framingham…
The Boardman House: A 327 Year Old Resident of Boston, Lynn, Chelsea & Saugus
I’ll admit it – my favorite homes so far in this journey have been the ones that have detailed trim work, bedrooms for their live-in staff, grand staircases that still stand today as testament to the wealth that once occupied the home. However, as this project continues, I’m learning about other styles and time periods…
The Phillips House: Chestnut Street Mansion in Salem, Ma
For many, images of witches and Halloween are the first things to come to mind when Salem, Massachusetts is brought up and I can’t say I’m any different – with the addition of the adorable house from one of my favorite fall movies, Hocus Pocus. And while the history of the Salem Witch trials and overall…
Sarah Orne Jewett House: Female American Novelist in Southern Maine
I took advantage of a sunny Saturday in March, and visited my fifth out of thirty-seven Historic New England homes – still so many to visit! I had zero knowledge of Sarah Orne Jewett prior to my visit – I usually try to read up a little bit on the home beforhand, but ran out…
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Venetian Mansion in the Heart of Boston
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum has been on my list of places to visit in Boston for years, but until now I had never been. I am lucky to have supportive friends & family that are interested in visiting these places with me, and this blog is a good excuse to do so. I can’t…
The Lyman Estate: 1793 Boston Suburb Country Estate
In 1793, Theodore Lyman, a wealthy ship merchant who lived in Boston’s elite Beacon Hill neighborhood, wanted to build a country estate that his family could escape to in the summer. He wanted to ensure the family could travel back and forth between the homes easily and all within one day, so he started to…
The Lyman Estate: Greenhouse & Grounds
The late fall & winter have put a damper on my quest to visit all thirty-eight properties owned by Historic New England in a one year time frame, as many of the homes close in October and don’t open again until the spring. So, I’ve been stalking their website to plan out when specific homes…
The Mark Twain House: Birthplace of Many Great American Novels
Images of a steamboat chugging down the muddy brown water of the Mississippi River is the first image that comes to mind when I hear “Mark Twain”, followed by his infamous all white suit, thick eyebrows and mustache. Hartford, Connecticut however does not come to mind. I was so very surprised to find out that…
The Pierce House: Seventeenth-Century Architecture in Boston
The Pierce House is located in Dorchester, a suburb of Boston. Until my visit to The Pierce House, I don’t think I have ever purposely gone to Dorchester, nor do I remember ever being in that town unless I inadvertently traveled thru it on my way somewhere else. So I was very curious to find…
The Fairbanks House: Oldest Known Wood Structure in North American
I was lucky enough, for a multitude of reasons to have met one of my most cherished friends in college. Our college days consisted of parties, food, and more parties. I wouldn’t change a thing, nor would I want to go back to those times. I didn’t necessarily believe her when she told me she…
