Category Archives: People and Places

Human activity including migrations, individual people, families and the institutions they formed in Lenox. Geography, historic sites and homes in Lenox.

Places

71 Cliffwood St., Annie May Hegeman House – c.1925

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71 Cliffwood St., Annie May Hegeman House - 1925 — 71 Cliffwood St., Annie May Hegeman House – 1925

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This is an Arts and Crafts-style house, the inspiration of which was rooted in English Cottage architecture. The 2-story, 4-bay house is constructed of clay tile and has a stucco finish. Bricks face the foundation. It has a gable roof clad with asphalt shingles. There are four large interior brick chimneys with caps. The entry porch has a steeply pitched gable roof with flaring eaves and exposed rafters, supported by massive wood pillars atop painted and stucco’ed brick knee-walls. The door surround has 2/3rds-length, 4-pane sidelights. A 2-story cross-gabled pavilion is on the right side of the front facade. Its roof extends down to the first floor on the right side with a shed-roofed dormer. The pavilion contains a secondary front entry flanked by 4-light windows and a 1-story gabled garage wing with two left-facing vehicle bays extends forward of it, attached with a breezeway. Behind this pavilion there is a small lean-to with porch and rear entry that extends from the rear right side of the main house (facing Yokun Avenue). There are two rear ells: One is two stories with a cross-gabled roof located near the center of the main gabled section. The second is a single story porch under an extension of the main roof with a dormer. Sets of three and four 8-light casement windows are located on the first floor front and side facades, while paired 4-o-4 double hung windows are on the second floor and on the first floor to the right of the entrance. The second floor windows have authentic window blinds.

There is a stone wall along the front property line of Cliffwood Street right-of-way with curved sections at the driveway entrance off of Cliffwood Street. The driveway circles around in front of the house with a treed median. There is a brick patio that extends along the rear of the house. An in-ground swimming pool is located in the rear yard. Yokun Avenue borders the right side and rear property lines.

This house was almost certainly designed by Seaver since Harding died in 1921.

NOTE: The 1905 Sanborn Map depicts the previous property, labeled “Homestead” with two accessory buildings at the corner of Yokun and Cliffwood streets.

Harding and Seaver Architects

George C. Harding (1867-4/23/1921)

“Senior member of the firm of Harding & Seaver, architects of several noted public buildings in the New England area. Mr. Harding was a native and life-long citizen of Pittsfield, educated in architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and had been active professionally since 1896. After working alone for a time, in 1902 he formed a partnership with Henry M. Seaver, and under the firm name acquired a wide and successful practice. His most important works include the following buildings: Museum of Natural History and Art at Pittsfield, 1907; the Y.M.C.A. Building, 1908; Lathrop Hall, 1905, and Memorial Chapel, 1914, at Colgate University, Hamilton, N.Y.; Town Hall at Lenox, Mass., 1903, and Colby Academy at New London, N.H. Mr. Harding also designed a number of fine homes, one distinguished example being the country house of former Senator Crane at Dalton, Mass.”^{^[1]}

From MACRIS List – Sept. 16, 2008

Inv. No	Property Name	Street	City/Town	Year Built
LEN.25	Lenox Town Hall	6 Walker St	Lenox	1901
LEN.296	Slater, William House	249 Under Mountain Rd	Lenox	1901
LEN.23	Curtis Hotel	6 Main St	Lenox	1829
LEN.19	Hagyard, Frank C. Store	36 Main St	Lenox	1910
LEN.100	Hegeman, Annie May House	61 Cliffwood St	Lenox	1925
LEN.26	Lenox Fire House	14 Walker St	Lenox	1909
LEN.29	Peters, Leonard C. Block	46-50 Walker St	Lenox	1917

Henry M. Seaver (3/6/1873 –

The Edward A. Jones Memorial Building was designed by Pittsfield architect Henry M. Seaver. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1897 and began his own architectural firm in 1901.^{^[2]} By 1903 he had entered into a partnership with George C. Harding that lasted until Harding’s death in 1921.^{^[3]} During that period the firm designed the YMCA Building in Pittsfield; the Chapel at Colgate University in central New York; the Museum of Natural History and Art in Pittsfield; the Colby Academy in New London, New Hampshire; and the Lenox Town Hall.^{^[4]} After Harding’s death in 1921, Seaver kept the office open through 1933, during which time he designed the Jones building at the House of Mercy. Other buildings for which he was responsible in this period include the R.J. Flick Residence; an addition to the Berkshire Life Building in Pittsfield; and an addition to the Pittsfield Boys Club Building. He was also an associate architect on the Pittsfield High School Building.^{^[5]}

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

The home was built by Miss Annie May Hegeman in the 1920’s after the Homestead property was divided. The house stayed in the family until 1973 when William and Aleid Channing sold the home to Charles and Beverly Capers. The Capers sold the house in 1977 to Haldor B. Reinholt and in 2002 it was acquired by Eugenia D. Reinholt.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

1905 Sanborn Map

Lenox Town Hall Records

Mrs. Haldor Reinholt

Lenox: Massachusetts Shire Town, David Wood p. 187

[1] Henry F. Withey, AIA and Elsie Rathburn Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased)(Los Angeles: Hennessey & Ingalls, Inc., 1970) p. 264.

[2] Berkshire Athenaeum/Pittsfield Library, History Department, Architects file.

[3] Henry F. Withey, AIA and Elsie Rathburn Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased)(Los Angeles: Hennessey & Ingalls, Inc., 1970) p 264.

[4] Massachusetts Cultural Resource Inventory System (MACRIS) online at: <http://mhc-macris.net>

[5] Berkshire Athenaeum/Pittsfield Library, History Department, Architects file.

Places

89 Cliffwood St., William Bacon House-1886

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From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This is a 2-story, 5-bay, center entrance, wood-framed house designed in the Colonial Revival style. It has a hipped roof with asphalt shingles, modillions on the eaves, dentil bands on the cornices throughout, and several dormers. Porches have standing seam metal roofing. There are six large brick chimneys. It is clad with wood clapboard and shingles with corner pilasters. Fluted pilasters delineate the central entrance bay—a front gabled dormer is centered above, while a porte-cochere extends forward of it. The porte-cochere is supported by fluted Ionic columns and fluted pilasters. A 2-story, slightly recessed ell off the right side has gabled wings off its front and rear. A 2-story turret is nestled between it and the main section. It has a curved porch with three Doric columns that extends forward to be flush with the front facade. There is a double gabled dormer on the right side. The left facade has a Palladian window at mid-floor level (indicating a stair landing on the interior) that is flanked by two 1-story canted bay windows. Centered on the roof above is a hipped dormer. A glazed sunporch off the rear is topped by smaller gable-roofed second story room. Intact 6-o-6 windows have substantial molded headers and authentic wood window blinds. The foundation is stone. A circular driveway that runs in front of the house and under the porte-cochere is accessed from Yokun Avenue. An in-ground swimming pool is located behind and right of the house and garage. The property is heavily wooded with mature coniferous, deciduous and ornamental trees and shrubs, particularly along the property boundaries.

NOTE: This property was once part of Dr. R. C. Greenleaf Jr.’s estate per the 1876 Beers Map.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

The home named “Rocklawn” was built in 1886 by Mr. & Mrs. William Bacon as a summer residence.

The Chain of Title forward is as follows:

1922 Mr. & Mrs. George Higginsons Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Whipple.

1969 Mr. & Mrs. Desmond Tivy

1977 Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Skinner

1986 David Hurwitz and Carolyn Dubrofsky

1990 Eugene P. Nesbada

1996 Reid White

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

1876 Beers Map

Lenox Town Hall Records

Lenox: Massachusetts Shire Town, David Wood, p. 199

Places

50 Cliffwood St., Catherine McDevitt House – c.1873

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ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

The style of this house is undetermined, and can simply be referred to as Vernacular Gothic (built in the Gothic Revival period). It is wood framed, two stories high, clad in wood clapboard with a 3-bay with a pedimented center entrance front façade, hip and gable roof and rectangular double-hung sashes with crowns and sills.

The house is oriented to the south (right side yard). It has a gable roof (based on its orientation) with asphalt shingles. There is a small brick center chimney.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE

The property was once owned by Ensign Loomis. In 1873 he sold it to Miss Catherine McDevitt. In 1882 the home was sold to Mr. Victor Schmitt. In 1936 the house was sold to Barbara Byrne. In 1960 she sold the house to Mr. & Mrs. Robert Field. In 1986 the house was owned by Collen Engle and Susan Peters. They sold the house in 1987 to Georgina M. S. Jaquiss.

The property was purchased by Mark H. Usow in June of 2000 and then by Thomas Wessel in July of 2001.

The name of this house should be “The Catherine McDevitt House”. However, the house is not depicted on the 1854 Clark Map, which labels a large property across Cliffwood Street as “E. Loomis.” It appears that Loomis sold off lots on the East side of the street for development after this time.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES

1854 Clark Map, 1905 Sanborn Map

Middle Berkshire Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield, Ma

Lenox Town Hall

Lenox Assessor’s database

Places

35 Greenwood St., Newton Wilbur House – c.1860

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35 Greenwood St., Wilbur F. Newton House - c. 1860 — 35 Greenwood St., Wilbur F. Newton House – c. 1860

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This house was originally oriented to the south-southwest and numbered 62 Cliffwood Street. This early front facade clearly expresses the Italianate architectural design of the house, which is a wood-framed, 2-story building with gable roof and a 3-story square hipped-roof tower. Eaves on the gable ends have double scroll sawn brackets—another typical feature of the Italianate style. There is a large brick center chimney and an exposed brick rear wall chimney. To the left of the tower is the original front door. Its surround is round-arched with a fanlight transom and ½-length sidelights with tracery. A broad veranda with nine chamfered pillars, scroll sawn and incised brackets and braces and matching pilasters wraps around to the left (west) side of the house (and once probably continued around to the rear or current front facade). French doors provide access from the first floor to the veranda. A 2-story canted bay window with smaller scroll sawn brackets on both first and second floor eaves fronts the tower. A 2-story ell, with a lower gable roof, extends to the right (east) of the tower and is fronted by another veranda—this time arcaded with two chamfered pillars and details matching those of the left side wrap-around porch. It has a balcony above with millwork railing. At the far end of the right-side ell is an octagonal second story turret with hipped roof above an open porch with geometric frieze above the arcading. On the north facade, which in now treated as the front, a remodeling introduced the Colonial Revival style—thus it is likely to have occurred in the last decades of the 19^th century or early 20^th century. This entry porch has an arched roof supported by two Doric columns; the door has ½-length sidelight like the original front door on the south. It is flanked by French doors, strongly suggesting that the veranda originally wrapped around from the west end to the north side as well. This section of the veranda would have been removed at the time of the remodeling and replaced with the new entrance porch (allowing more light into the interior). Windows are 2-o-2 double hung sashes with molded cornices and authentic window blinds. The foundation is stone. The lot is large with an expanse of open lawn. A stuccoed wall extends from the house eastward along the Greenwood Street right-of-way. It has an arched opening, allowing access to the east side yard.

This house has a side-gabled roof with three pedimented dormers. The cornice has paired decorative brackets off its molding. There are leaded glass fanlights and sidelights on both the doors (facing Cliffwood and Greenwood Streets). The north-facing door is outlined by a decorative crown which is supported by slender columns. The 1886 finial was removed while the crown was being repaired in the 1990’s and is missing. A porch wraps around half the house and detailed spindlework supports have side brackets. There are one exterior and two interior chimneys. The first floor dining and living room windows are French doors. The have crowns with designs in the frieze. The remaining first floor windows and second floor windows are rectangular with crowns above them and molded windowsills below. On the third floor there is a full arched window with a crown; another from the 1886 remodel was removed in 1931. There are first and second story bay windows on the side of the house facing Cliffwood St, which originally had shutters.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

1870-1872 The property is owned by well-known Lenox builder, ensign Loomis, who lived for many years on the other side of Cliffwood St. Loomis probably built the earliest part of the house on speculation

1872-1882 Local businessman Wilbur F. Newton owned the house (on one acre and 40 rods). Newton bought the place from Loomis for $1200 and sold it a decade later to Mrs. Jonathan Williams Biddle of Philadelphia for $10,000. Property values in Lenox escalated as the popularity of the resort grew in the Gilded Age.

1886 Second owner, Emily Meigs Biddle (Mrs. John) added French doors, wrap-around porch and two colonial revival doors added. Original barn removed; garden with fountain and small fish pool created inside the foundation. A stable was added (52 Cliffwood St.) The first floor was expanded to include a butler’s pantry, back stairs, staff dining, lavatory and larger kitchen. Above, on second floor: more bedrooms for staff and a third floor.

1882-1938 The Biddle family came to Breezy Corners each summer over a fifty-year period. In 1885, Mrs. Biddle was in her 60s and her unmarried daughter, Emily W., in her late 20s. Thomas, the bachelor brother of Miss Emily, often summered here as well as his sister, Christine Cadwalader. Christine Biddle Cadwalader had seven sons (her only daughter died at one month in 1887.) Over the years the Biddles enlarged Breezy Corners with a third story tower, embellished the two-man entrances with grand colonial revival doorways. Architect Joseph Vance of Pittsfield is known to have worked on the house. Miss Biddle, one of the founding members of the Lenox Horticultural Society probably created the walled garden. Some of her plantings survive including the mature Japanese lilac on Cliffwood St. She has been described as a “student of bird life” and participated in Tub Parades. Her charming Gabled carriage house was located at the end of the sloping lawn on Cliffwood St. Emily Biddle died in 1931, leaving the house to her Cadwalader nephews who sold it sever years later.

1907 Upon Mrs. Emily Meigs Biddle’s death, daughter Miss Emily W. Biddle inherited the house and enlarged the 3rd floor removing the gabled roof line and single window in small bedroom, and creating a full bath with tub next to new bedroom in a tower with two windows.

1938-1946 Eaton Crane Paper executive Sherman Hall and his wife Lee DeMulder Hall and their three sons made Breezy Corners a year round residence

1946-2008 Martha Quisenberry Pelton Shirer owned Breezy Corners. Carriage house/garage on Cliffwood St sold to become a separate residence in 1947.

2008 to present The property is now owned by Suzanne W. Pelton, Martha Shirer’s daughter, and her husband David Horton Stroud.

The property was first owned by Wilbur F. Newton until 1882 when he sold the property to Emily Meigs Biddle and Emily Williams Biddle. In 1907 Mrs. Biddle left the property to Emily Williams Biddle. In 1931, Emily Williams Biddle left the property divided into six sections to the Cadwalader family. The Bible family was originally from Philadelphia. The family was involved in many Presidential administrations. The Biddle and the Cadwalader families were relatives of many of these men. In 1938, the house was sold to Sherman and Lee Hall. The Halls sold the house in 1948 to Richard and Martha Quisenberry Pelton. The Peltons sold the carriage house which was later converted into a home.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES :

Suzanne Walker Pelton (current owner)

Lenox Town Hall Records

Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield

Martha Quisenberry Pelton Shirer

Places

5 Greenwood St., Hartman Kuhn House – 1870

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From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Society

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Tudor Revival style building has two stories, a wood shakes shingle roof and is intact. It has arched roofed dormers; a stucco front wall chimney on projecting front ell; 3 stone interior chimneys; a small front entrance vestibule with a steeply pitched gable; sets of 3 windows with transoms, some diamond-paned leaded glass windows; early gambrel-roofed extensions; a 1-story conservatory ell with French doors off left (east) side; and a faceted 2nd story oriel on the south side. It is landscaped with many mature trees & shrubs; wood picket fence & row of evergreen trees along Greenwood St. right-of-way and arched arbor at the entrance. There is a stone retaining wall supporting a patio at 1st floor level on rear (south) side of house.

This does not appear to be the original 1820 style building – Tudor Revival style is the result of much more recent renovations in early 1900’s.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

Hillside was built by Mrs. Hartman (Grace) Kuhn of Boston in 1870, and used by her during the ‘season’. Mrs. Kuhn, who also purchased Butternut Cottage, owned the entire lot along Main St. from Greenwood to the Kingsland House (at the junction of Main and Cliffwood Streets). By 1890 the house was being rented to Mrs. Cruger of New York, and around 1911 it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Ross Whistler, who renamed it Hidden House. Today it is “Whistler’s Inn” owned by Richard and Joan Mears since 1978.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

The Book of Berkshire, Clark W. Bryan ( N.Y.L Clark W. Bryan & Co., 1886) p. 45

The New Book of Berkshire, Clark W. Bryan ( N.Y.L Clark W. Bryan & Co., 1890) p. 45

Lenox: Massachusetts Shire Town, David H. Wood (Lenox: Town of Lenox 1969) p.194

Lenox Assessor’s database 2011

Places

13 Cliffwood St., Worthington House – 1815

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13 Cliffwood St., Worthington House - c. 1815 — 13 Cliffwood St., Worthington House – c. 1815

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by Lenox Historical Society

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION

This was originally a Federal-style house that has been altered over the years. The paired brackets under the eaves, round-arched window in the front gable, and round-arched door hood are all features of the Italianate style, indicating that a major remodeling took place during the period of that styles popularity (c.1850 – 1880). There are relatively few Italianate houses in Lenox, making this earlier house an interesting example of a later style.

This Italianate style building has two stories and an asphalt shingle roof which is intact. It consists of 3-bays, with a front gable roof with double scroll sawn modillions on the eaves. The two brick center chimneys are corbelled to create flared tops. It is sided with wood clapboards and the arched entrance canopy contains scroll sawn console brackets. The door surround has an arched transom and the window headers have cornices. The windows on the upper floors are 6-o-6. There are authentic window blinds, an arched attic window and a stone foundation. There is a wood picket fence around property.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

This house was built in 1815 for Dr. Worthington, who may have practiced medicine here. It remained in the Worthington family until 1919, when the property was willed to the Church on the Hill by Mrs. Mary H. Barrett. Mrs. Barrett was a grand-daughter of the original owner, who had been a deacon of the church. From 1925 to 1975 the house was used as a parsonage and a gathering place for social events. In 1975 it was returned to use as a private home. Robert M. and Cynthia A. Taylor were the owners in 1979.

The property was acquired by Arthur A. Autorino in1989 and then by Thomas B. Sherman in 1997 and then by Steven M. Fortuna in 2001.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

Registry of Deeds

Congregational Church Records

Lenox Assessor’s database 2012

Places

9 Cliffwood St., Calvin Burnham House – c.1805

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From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Federal style building has two stories, an asphalt shingle roof and is intact. It is a 5-bay building with a central entrance. The wood framed structure has a 2-story cross-gabled rear ell. One end chimney and one interior chimney suggests that a 2-story addition to the right of the original 3-bay house has been added. It has wood clapboard siding and paneled window headers with cornices on the first floor windows. The exterior has corner boards, an entrance pavilion with fluted Doric columns and pilasters, triglyphs and metopes on the frieze. The front door surround has a plaid paned transom and 1/2-length sidelights. The house has 6-o-6 windows and a stone foundation. There is a wood picket fence with scalloped design between the posts.

This is one of the few Federal houses to survive in Lenox Village; although there is evidence that many more were built, most were demolished in the second half of the nineteenth century.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

Calvin Burnham built this house around 1805, and lived here with his family. Burnham was probably a brother of Julia Ann Burnham, who came from Vermont to marry Col. Charles Mattoon of Lenox. Calvin Burnham had numerous business dealings with Mattoon, reflected in various deeds. Burnham’s daughter Anna also has some unusual business dealings; a deed of 1814 granted her the lease to her room in her father’s house in return for payment of one peppercorn. On her father’s death she inherited the house, and in 1822 sold it to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, for payment of $500 “and also in consideration of the love and regard which I have for the missionary cause.” John Hotchkin purchased the house from the A.B.C.F.M. in 1825, two years after he returned to Lenox from the Andover Theological Seminary to follow Levi Glezen as principal of the Lenox Academy. Hotchkin, a graduate of the Academy, held that position until 1848, but continued to teach until his death in 1862. His descendents sold the house to Anna B. Shaw after 1876, and the Shaw family used it as a summer home. It was known as “Homestead” during this period (not to be confused with “The Homestead” at Cliffwood and Greenwood Streets). Later it was renamed “Roadside”, and the name was changed again to “Strawberry House” by a subsequent owner, Anna R. Alexandre.

The property was acquired by Horizon Nominee Trust in1998 and then by Andrew Collins Vickery in 2003 and then by Eric George Haythorne in 2007.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Joseph E.A. Smith, (N.Y.: J.B. Beers & Co. 1885) p.214

New Book of Berkshire, Clark W. Bryan (Clark W. Bryan & Co. 1890) p44

Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 55.38, 64.237, 68.159

Lenox Assessor’s database 2012

Places

169 Main St., Church on the Hill – 1805

September 9, 2014 lenoxhistory Leave a comment

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Federal style building has two stories, an asphalt shingle roof and is intact. It has a three-bay center entrance; six bays deep; wood frame; front gable roof w/dentiled pediment; bell-tower at front of gable peak with a tall, square, balustraded base with large clocks on front and rear sides (clock replaced in 1899). It has Palladian window on left (West) side, topped by an octagonal belfry with Roman-arched vented openings and smaller balustrade and an octagonal cupola with bell-shaped roof and weather vane atop it. It has wood clapboard siding; corner pilasters; 1-bay wide. The entrance pavilion is one-bay deep with dentiled pediment, corner pilasters; Palladian window with tracery, door surround with pediment (short returns), modillions, entablature, paneled pilasters. It has double front entrance doors, wood paneled w/small window high up on each. The two-story square apse on rear facade has a rose window. There is a brick right side wall chimney and an exposed brick left side wall chimney. There are 12-over-12 windows with molded window headers and authentic window blinds. The foundation is large cut stone.

Architect Captain Isaac Damon (1783 – 1862)

Following FROM: http://nhsteeples.org/newport/project_glossary/isaac_damon.html

Isaac Damon, architect

Isaac Damon was born in 1781. At age 30, he moved from Weymouth (MA) to Northampton (MA). His wife died the following year, and he married Sophia Strong (pictured), who delivered eight children. Over the course of his career, Damon built at least 13 churches, 14 other buildings, and 25 bridges. Most of his buildings were constructed in the Connecticut River Valley, but his bridge work took him farther afield. His fully-enclosed bell towers and steeples are easily recognized throughout his region of influence. He retired in 1852 at the age of 71 and died ten years later.

Following From: Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased) by Henry F. Withey, AIA & Elsie Rathburn Withey. (Los Angeles, CA: Hennessey & Ingalls, Inc., 1970).

“Damon, (Captain) Isaac

“Architect-building in western Massachusetts for more than three decades, his work included a number of public buildings, mainly churches. It is believed that Damon was one of the junior draftsmen in the Town & Davis office in New York, and when in 1811 he was called to Northampton to build the First Congregational Church, it seems probable that Ithiel Town helped prepare the plans (*). The church, one of the largest and most elaborate in New England at the time of its erection stood until 1878 when it was destroyed by fire. In Northampton Mr. Damon also designed the Town Hall built in 1823 (*).

“In the course of years he executed many important commissions, and the drawings, some of them in India ink, showed skill in draftsmanship. In his work as builder he was one of the first to understand the use of a truss and incorporated it in the bridgework of a number of buildings. Thirteen or more churches in the western part of the state are ascribed to him among which should be named the First Church at Lenox, dating from 1814; the First Church at Springfield, 1818 (**); the old Meeting House at Ware, 1820 (**), and the Unitarian Meeting House at Greenfield. In addition he was architect of the county Court House at Lenox (an early building from 1814); and probably designed (at least he was paid for making the plans) the oldest group of buildings at Amherst College, including the North and South halls and the Chapel between 1821 and 1827 (***).

“- References: Dictionary of American Biography; “Town and Davis, Architects,” by Roger Hale Newton (*); “Greek Revival Architecture in America,” Talbot Hamlin, 1944 (***).”

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE

In 1803, a special town meeting was called in Lenox, and it was voted to begin construction of a new church to replace the meeting house which had been built about 1770. The new church was to be built on or near the same site. The church was completed in 1805, and on the first day of 1806 it was dedicated in a service led by Rev. Samuel Shepard. As the official town and state church it held an important place in the political and social, as well as religious life, of Lenox. Although other churches were incorporated in the early nineteenth century, and their members exempted from paying taxes to support the Congregational Church, this church was not disestablished until 1834, and even then it retained its important position in the town.

“The Church on the Hill,” as it came to be known, was prized by visitors to Lenox for its picturesque beauty and its embodiment of New England tradition. Guide books never failed to mention it, and its white steeple became a landmark visible for miles around. Even the wealthy summer residents who belonged to the Episcopalian Church took a special interest in the Church on the Hill, and contributed to its restoration.

The Church on the Hill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places Sept. 30, 1982.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

Church records

“The Church on the Lenox Hilltop…”, New England Magazine. October 1900

Lenox – Massachusetts Shire Town. David H. Wood 1969

Lenox Assessor’s database 2012

Places

142 Main, Thomas Post House – c.1870

September 9, 2014 lenoxhistory Leave a comment

142 Main St., Thomas Post House - c. 1870 — 142 Main St., Thomas Post House – c. 1870

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Gothic Revival style building has two stories, an asphalt shingle roof and has been altered. It has a two-bay; wood frame; front gable roof; large brick center chimney; wood clapboard siding; front entry porch with steeply pitched gable roof with decorative trip in gable supported by four chamfered pillars; balcony above front porch with geometric railing; door surround with two-light transom; double entrance doors. It has a two-story box oriel on front facade (base tapers in from top to bottom). There is a large two-story rear ell with gable roof and interior brick chimney. There is a two-story rear lean-to at inside corner on right side of main house and rear ell. There is a two-story recessed, cross-gabled wing on the left side with shed-roofed porch on front, three turned.

Design is not Stick Style; details cited in original B form are common to both Gothic Revival & Queen Anne styles.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

This house was built for Thomas Post, listed in the 1885 directory as lawyer, Justice of the Peace, Postmaster, telegraph operator and farmer. He was also a State Senator and “trusted counselor of all this region.”[1] He owned the entire lot up to Hubbard Street. He was in part responsible for the development of the Maple-Ash-Reynolds Street area, as he sold off his land in house lots in the 1890’s and early 20^th century. Post, who had his law office in the Lenox Library (the second county courthouse), lived there until his death in 1913 when the property was inherited by his widow, Elizabeth.

After subsequent changes in ownership the building was sold to Timothy E. Blair in 1998. It is currently divided into six apartments.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

Lenox Assessor’s Report

County Atlas of Berkshire, Mass., F.W. Beers, 1876

Atlas of Berkshire County, Mass., Barnes and Farnham, 1904

Sanborn Maps: 1898, 1905, 1911

Gazetter of Berkshire County, Mass. 1727-1885, Hamilton Child, 1885

Lenox Assessor’s database 2012

[1] New England Magazine, “The Church on the Lenox Hilltop and Round About It,” Frederick Lynch, October 1900, vol. 23, p. 210

Places

135 Main St., Eliza Williams House – c.1861

September 9, 2014 lenoxhistory Leave a comment

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Colonial Revival style building has two stories, an asphalt shingle roof and has been minimally altered. There is a three-bay, center entrance; wood frame; gambrel roof; and large exposed brick chimney on both end walls of the original house. It has wood clapboard and shingle siding. The front façade (facing Main St.) has three steeply pitched gable dormers. The large addition off the right side of the original house has an end wall chimney and second floor balcony on the right side. There is a series of three gambrel-roofed sections along rear ell off of which is a cross-gambrel wing with a large brick end wall chimney and a one-story extension off its left side, basement exposed with access at ground level. There are some original 6-over-6 and 2-over-2 windows.

LANDSCAPE: There is an allee’ of trees along the entrance driveway which curves northward from Main Street ending in two interlocking circular drives, with adjacent parking areas. There are large bluestone walkways up to front and left side entries, with stone retaining and planter walls. It is a large property with open lawn, many mature trees and shrubs, ornamental, hardwood and evergreen trees and a wood picket fence along Main St. right-of-way.

The 1861 date for the original house suggests that the gambrel roof (as well as the steeply pitched gable dormers) is not original or that this is a much earlier house.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

The original portion of this house was built by Susan and Eliza Williams on the site now occupied by 101 Main Street. Eliza Williams lived here until 1873 when the house was purchased by Mrs. Kuhn who had built “Hillside” around 1870. Eliza Williams may have continued to live in the house as a tenant, as she is listed in the 1885 directory as having a house and lot on Main Street.

In 1905, the house was sold to Caroline Katherine Carey (Miss Kate Carey), who moved the front portion of the house to its present location, adding on an extensive wing containing servants’ quarters and a storeroom, and apparently remodeling the entire house. Miss Carey used part of the first floor servants’ wing as a carpentry shop, where she built doll and bird houses. Upon her death in 1945, the property was deeded to Trinity Church, who in turn sold it to Joseph Reynolds. In 1951, it was sold again to Maria Veselik, who renamed it Garden Gables and opened it as an Inn and gift shop.

In 1988 it was owned by Lynn Mekinda, Mario Mekinda as of 1998 and is owned (as of 2006) by Vittori Properties LLC.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

Lenox Assessor’s Report

Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield, Mass. 172.44, 276.319, 219.425

Conversations with Mary E. Higgins Delasco (daughter of Miss Carey’s coachman) and Maria Veselik

Lenox Assessor’s database 2012