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Wednesday, September 09, 2015 at 4:00: PM

 

Inventory No: BKL.Q   

Historic Name: Anderson, Larz Park Historic District

Common Name:

Address:

City/Town: Brookline

Village/Neighborhood: Goddard - Weld; Larz Anderson Park

Local No:

Year Constructed:

Architect(s):

Architectural Style(s):

Use(s): Other Recreational

Significance:Architecture; Community Planning; Landscape Architecture

Area(s): BKL.Q: Anderson, Larz Park Historic District

Designation(s):Nat'l Register District (10/17/1985); Nat'l Register MRA (10/17/1985)

Building Materials(s):

 

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Commonwealth of MassachusettsMassachusetts Historical Commission

220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc

This file was accessed on:

BOS.MC / BKL.Q

F O R M A - A R E A S U R V E Y

M A S S A C H U S E T T S H I S T O R I C A L C O M M I S S I O N Office of the Secre tary , State House, Boston

F o r m numbers in this a rea A r e a no. 1-6 Q

1. Town Brookl ine MRA

Name of a rea (if any) Larz Anderson Park

H i s t o r i c D i s t r i c t

3. Genera l date or period 19th century

4. i s a rea uniform (explain):

in style ? v a r i e t y of a r c h i t e c t u r a l s t y l e s

in condit ion? yes

in type of ownership? yes-Town of Brookl ine

in use ? y e s - r e c r e a t i o n a l / r e s i d e n t i a l

neral map of the area involved. Indicate any historic t s are completed on F o r m s B thru F , using c o r r e s -is (including route numbers, i f any) and indicate north, not inventoried on F o r m B .

Newton Q m d r a n g l e UTM R e f e r e n c e s : A : 19/324160/4686700 B: 19/324200/4686120 C : 19/323600/4686230 D: 19/323840/4686700

A c r e a g e : approximate ly 62 acres

D O NOT W R I T E IN T H I S S P A C E 6. Recorded by C a r l a Benka „ _ _ _ USGS Quadrant

Qrganizat ionBrookl ine H i s t o r i c a l Commission MHC Photo no.

J Date May, 1985

(over)

pstott
Typewritten Text
NRDIS NRMRA 10/17/1985
pstott
Typewritten Text

BOS.MC / BKL.Q

7. Historical data. Explain the historical/architectural importance of this area. The land which makes up this town-owned park of almost 62 acres was once the property of the Goddard family and during the Revolution was known as Goddard Heights. From its numerous hills, B r i t i s h : , troops could be surveyed. William Fletcher WSld, whose ancestor had received a land grant from the English crown, owned land in Brookline by 1851; this park was part of his holdings. Called "Windy Top", the estate was passed on to William Fletcher Weld, II who tore down t h g ^ g y s j i g O f his grandfather and built a new house on the site of the old as well as the^carriage house. The mansion, torn down by the Town in the 1960s,had been designed by Edward Wheelwright in 1885 and*substantially enlarged after it was acquired by Isabel Perkins Anderson in 1899 at which time the grounds were landscaped according to the plans of Charles Piatt. Isabel Perkins Anderson, grand daughter of William Fletcher Weld, I, founder of one the world's largest fleet of clipper ships, and cousin of William Fletcher Weld, II, was married to Larz Anderson who served .as an ambassador of the United States during the administrations of Presidents Harrison and Taft. The Andersons lived in Washington for much of the year, but nevertheless lavished a great deal of care on their Brookline home known as "Weld." Known throughout the area for the grandeur of its architecture and the beauty of the landscape and magnificent views, "Weld" was visited by many politic and social celebrities and was one reason for Brookline's exalted reputation during the "Golden Age." The main portion of the estate was bequeathed to the Town upon the death of Mrs. Anderson in 1948; her will stipulated that the buildings and land be used for educational and recreational purposes. Larz Anderson's collection of automobiles:.-became the core collection for the Museum of Transportation which now occupies the carriage house as tenant of the Town.

Within the park are a number of structures, some pre-dating the Weld ownership. The oldest is the Putterham School, moved to its present location in 1966 for security purposes. Once standing on the corner of Grove and Newton Streets, not far away, this structure, originally a one room schoolhouse, dates from the 1760s. It has been altered and enlarged, the last alteration having taken place in 1 8 9 ^ It has functioned as a , temporary place of worship for a Catholic parish as well as^a Jewish congregation. Today ' it is maintained by the Historical Society, owned by the Town, and is opened to the public on an appointment-basis.

Near the Newton Street entrance is a contemporary of the Putterham School: a small one and one half story cottage with a large central chimney. Thought to have been built before the Revolution, it has been called by Nina Fletcher Little (Some Old Brookline Houses) an excellent example of a late 18th century cottage which has not been incorporated into the ell of a larger houses, as was so often the case in other Brookline houses dating from this period. It was used to houses employees of the Weld estate and is now residential rental property belonging to the Town. £©»vtmoe 8. Bibliography and/or references such as local histories, deeds, assessor 's records,

early maps, etc. Little, Nina Fletcher, Some Old Brookline Houses, Cambridge, Cosmos Press, 1949 Anderson, Isabel, Under the Black House Flag, Boston:Houghton Mifflin Co., 1926 Anderson, Larz, Journals and Letters of A Diplomat, New York; Fleming Ravell Co., 1940 Brookline Historical Society, Proceedings, 1964, p.36. Woods, Harriet, Historical Sketches of Brookline, Boston, R.S.Davis Co., 1874 Atlas-1888, 1893, 1900; Maps-1844, 1855, 1871 Plan L/34/A/22, Engineering Department, Brookline Town Hall Lucas, Nora, "The Carriage House and Stable - Larz Anderson Park. Unpublished Limon, Jodie, "Sunsets: The Life of Isabel Perkins Anderson", Unpublished.

BOS.MC / BKL.Q

INVENTORY FORM C O N T I N U A T I O N S H E E T Community: Form No:

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION O f f i c e of the S e c r e t a r y , Boston

Brookline AREA 0

Proper ty Name: Larz Anderson District

I n d i c a t e each i t em on i n v e n t o r y form which i s b e i n g con t inued below.

Like the small cottage, the Italianate house at 55 Newton Street was standing on the estate before its purchase by William F. Weld. It appears to have been rented to tenant farmers since its construction and was used to house employees of "Weld" during the Anderson . ownerships. Today it is owned by the Town and used as residential rental property.

Both 9 Newton Street, the carriage house as well as a number of smaller, deteriorating outbuildings, date from Weld ownership. The stucco house was designed by Wheelwright and Haven and served as a Newton Street gatehouse. The carriage house, designed by Edward Wheelwright, is said to have modelled after the Chateau de Chaumont. Inside, the ceiling of the main portion of hthe structure rises two and one half stories, with brick piers along the sides of the first floor defining garage cubicles and supporting the wooden second floor servants' rooms and balustrade which' surround and overlook the main area. There is also a large room for washing horses; a substantial hayloft with dorn)er openings for hoists on the north and west for loading hay; wooden and marble horse stalls; a cedar closet for carriage blankets; and a trophy room.

The land of the park, once part of the first private polo field in New England, re­tains evidence of the original design intent of landscape architect Charles Piatt as well as remnants of the famed Italian garden. Of particular note are the lagoon, tree allee in the northern section , near Goddard Avenue, and the small gazebo.

This district meets NR criteria A,B,and C, having been one of Brookline's grandest estates; the country home of two of its more illustrious citizens, Larz and Isabel Anderson; and an example of the landscape design of Charles Piatt. It also contains

two structures dating from the 18th century and one from the mid 19th century.

S1a*1—* e t o I n v e n t o r v f o r m a t h : om

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INVENTORY FORM C O N T I N U A T I O N SHEET

Indicate each item on inventory form which i s

MAP# PROPERTY/ADDRESS DATE Q-l Park ca. 1900 Q-2 21 Newton Street 1772-1796 Q-3 Putterham School ca. 1768 Q-4 Carriage House 1889 Q-5 9 Newton Street 1889

Q-6 55 Newton Street 1850-1860 A 15 Newton Street/ 1957

Skating Rink B 15 Newton Street/ 1957

Refrigerator Building C 19 Newton Street/.' 1958

"Warming Hut D 350 Goddard Avenue/ 1957

Service Building E 350 Goddard Avenue 1962 F 56 Avon Street/ 1970-1971

Parks Department Building

7 House at 29 Avon Street ca. 1905

3 Garage at 29 Avon Street c. 1905

Community:

Brookline Form No:

Area Q

Property Name:, Larz Anderson District

being continued below.

ARCHITECT 0RIG. OWNER STATUS Charles Piatt Anderson C Unknown Hannah Harris C Unknown Town C Wheelwright Weld C Wheelwright & Weld C

Haven Unknown James C Child, Lawrence, Town of Brookline NC

& Shannon Unknown Town of Brookline NC

Hodgson Houses Town'of Brookline NC Inc.

Child, Lawrence Town of Brookline NC & Shannon

Unknown Town of Brookline NC Prefabricated Town of Brookline NC

unknown ' Anderson C

unkown Anderson C

S t a p l e t o I n v e n t o r y form a t b o f

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION O f f i c e of the Secre tary , Boston

BOS.MC / BKL.Q

INVENTORY FORM C O N T I N U A T I O N SHEET Community: Form No:

B rook line \REA Q

Property Name: Larz A n d e r s o n Pai

Ind ica t e each i tem on i n v e n t o r y form which i s be ing cont inued below,

O u t b u i l d i n g ( s m o k e h o u s e ? )

O u t b u i l d i n g (Hen hou s e ? )

: a n l e t o i n v e n t o r v C 11 OH!

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION O f f i c e of the S e c r e t a r y , boston

BOS.MC / BKL.Q

INVENTORY FORM C O N T I N U A T I O N SHEE" Community: Form No:

B r o o k l i n e AREA Q

Property Name : |_ a r z A n d e r s o n Park

Ind ica te each i tem on inven tory form which i s be ing cont inued below,

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION O f f i c e of the S e c r e t a r y . Boston

BOS.MC / BKL.Q

INVENTORY FORM C O N T I N U A T I O N SHEET Community: Form No:

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION O f f i c e of the S e c r e t a r y , Boston

B r o o k l i n e AREA Q MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION O f f i c e of the S e c r e t a r y , Boston

Property Name: Larz Ande rson Park

Ind ica t e each i tem on inven to ry form which i s be ing cont inued below.

Put te rh am School

55 N e w t o n S t r e e t

- a o l e t o I n v e n t o r y : grm a b c 11om

BOS.MC / BKL.Q

INVENTORY FORM C O N T I N U A T I O N SHEET C unanimity: Form No:

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION B r o o k 1i n e A r e a Q O f f i c e of the S e c r e t a r y , Boston O f f i c e of the S e c r e t a r y , Boston

Property Name: , . . L a rz A n de rs on P a r k

Ind ica te each i tem on inven to ry form which i s be ing cont inued below.

P i c n i c S h e l t e r

t an 1e t o I n v e n t o rv fo rm D 011 OH!

BOS.MC / BKL.Q

INVENTORY FORM C O N T I N U A T I O N SHEET

Ind ica te each i tem on inven to ry form which

Community: Form No:

B rook line AREA Q

Property Name:i_arz A n d e r s o n Park

i s be ing cont inued below.

~""anle to Inventorv b c 11om

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSI ON O f f i c e of the S e c r e t a r y , Boston

BOS.MC / BKL.Q

INVENTORY FORM C O N T I N U A T I O N SHEE" Community: Form No:

/}REA Q B r o o k l i n e

Property Name: Larz Ande \fon Park

Ind ica te each i tem on inven to ry form which i s be ing cont inued below.

R e m n a n t s of p e r g o l a of It a l i a n g a r d e n

G a r d e n Walk and fr a g m e n t s of wall

0c11om

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION O f f i c e of the S e c r e t a r y , boston

BROOKLINE MRA Larz Anderson Park Historical District

District Q Brookline, MA Part of district is located in Boston, MA.

BOS.MC / BKL.Q

Boston Redevelopment 9 0 ' Authority Map

Mapped by Lockwood, Kesler and Bartlett, Inc. 1965

Sheet 16N-6E

Scale: 1" = 100'


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