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Home My WebLink Aboutarea-oFORM A - AREA MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 Washington Street, Boston, MA. 02108 ---------------------------------------- lForm numbers in this area Area letter 4.90-4.96, 4.98-4.99, 501-5141 0 Lexington f area (if any) Munroe Hill .1 date or period 1.890-1910 Sketch map. Draw a general map of the area indicating properties within it. Number each property for which individual inventory forms have been completed. Label streets (including route numbers, if any) and indicate north. (Attach a separate sheet if space here is not sufficient) I— g4e, 0 El 0, -. _' p �r o Recorded by Anne Grady OrganiZationLexington Historical Commission Date March, 1984 here) ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE of area.(Describe physical setting, general character, and architecturally significant structures). Munroe hill is an elevated area west of Massachusetts Avenue. The hill rises steeply behind the pre-Revolutionary Munroe Tavern. The two dozen or so substantial late nineteenth century or early twentieth century houses define the architectural character of the area even though a number of mid -twentieth century houses are intermingled. One recently constructed house at 2 Washington Street is a striking example of contemporary design which fits well in its late nineteenth century context. Houses on Munroe Hill reflecOReell°sil�ulation in the deeds that buildings cost $3,500 above the foundation but/�hecrelative wealth of their late nineteenth/early twentieth century owners. None was built speculatively; all were very likely designed by architects. Among architects who have been identified are Samuel D. Kelley, Lois Lilly Howe, and Chapman and Frazer. With the exception of several rather formal Colonial Revival structures, built near the end of the first wave of development of Munroe hill, all of the (see Continuation Sheet) HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE of area. (Explain development of area, what caused it, and how it affected community; be specific). The Lexington Land Company was responsible for the development of Munroe Hill. Formed in December 1891, the company "had among its trustees William H. Mason, a real estate broker with offices in Boston, and James S. Munroe," first owner of a hardware store in Boston, then owner of a wallpaper manufac- tory in South Lawrence. "The land company began selling shares in 1892 at $100 per. Among the largest shareholders were Warren Sherburne, Hiram Janvrin, John L. Norris and James S. Munroe, men who already owned land along Bloomfield Street, Mt. Vernon Street, and Main Street" (Reinhardt dissertation, pp. 91-92). Lots of 9,000 and 18,000 square feet, a slightly smaller average�tka Bloo�fdeld Street, were laid out along Warren, Washington, and Bennington s an, sycyDee restrictions specified only one house per lot, its set back,and required a construction cost per house of over $3,500 or more. Professions of owners included insurance adjuster, real estate promoter, banker, broker, commission merchant, lawyer, and middle management. Many of these men who worked in Boston and their families had first been introduced to Lexington as summer guests at Lexington hotels, including the Russell House and the Massachusetts House. Lexington was known for its healthful atmosphere as the following inclusion in Hurd's History of Middlesex County of 1890 attests: People in feeble health, or exhausted by over -work, find the atmosphere pure and bracing, and a residence of a few weeks often proves wonderfully invigorating. (see Continuation Sheet) BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Lexington Golf Club, 1895-1980. Published by the Lexington Golf Club, 1980. Lexington Minute Man, May 3, 1892, July 22, 1892, March 24, 1893. Reinhardt, Elizabeth Wright. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Boston University. 1889 atlas 1906 atlas (see Continuation Sheet) al -6/80 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Cam=ity : Lexington Form No : 0 Property Name: Munroe Hill Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE houses are late nineteenth century picturesaue designs which incorporate such features as bay windows, turrets, varied window treatment, and porches, and are embellished with Shingle Style, Queen Anne or Colonial Revival decorative trim. There are slightly more Shingle Style houses on Munroe Hill than in the other areas of town developed at the same period (Meriam Hill, Winthrop Road) and this adds to the distinctive character of the area. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE To sickly children especially the Lexington air and life is stimulating and healthful. Several references in the Lexington Minute Man to the new Munroe Hill development specifically mention the healthiness of the area. Very likely the notion was first promoted by the Lexington Land Company. The Lexington Land Company places on the market lots which embrace a section of our town peculiarly favor- able in all that relates to good air and pleasant scenery. (Lexington Minute Man, May 3, 1892) The section of Lexington known as Mt. Vernon offers unusual attractions in addition to those which have long made Lexington famous as a health resort. (Lexington Minute Man, July 22, 1892) The renaming of Mt. Vernon Street to Percy Road in the mid -1890s was the subject of much dispute. Percy, after all, was the British general who commandeered the Munroe Tavern for a hospital on April 19, 1775. The ideals of wholesome family life amid pleasant country surroundings which prompted the newcomers to settle on Munroe Hill are thoroughly described by Elizabeth Reinhardt in her doctoral dissertation on Lexington's transforma- tion from rural town to suburb. Further enticement to the area was the establishment in 1894 of the Lexington Golf Club course on the portion of the Munroe land not developed and on adjacent Tower land extending to and across Marrett Road (see accompanying plan), one of the earliest courses to be laid out in the Boston area. The old barn of the Munroe Tavern was used as a clubhouse and members of the club included many of the new residents of Munroe Hill and Meriam Hill. In 1900, the club moved to land it could own outright on the former Vaille farm in North Lexington. The part of Munroe Hill bounded by Pelham and Eliot roads was then opened up for development. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES 1894 Directory 1899 Directory 1906 Directory Staple to Inventory form at bottom INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING 220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125 DATA SHEET AREA O MUNROE HILL AREA Town Property Address LEXINGTON MUNROE HILL Area(s) Form No. I MHC # Address Name Style Architect or Builder Date 509 1 Bennington Road Francis Smith Dane House Colonial Revival 1906 510 4 Bennington Road Thomas C. Sias House Colonial Revival 1900 511 7 Bennington Road Ralph Leslie Stevens House Shingle Style 1896 11 Bennington Road Robert Holt House Georgian Revival Willard D. Brown/ Custance Bros. 1916 23 Bennington Road Colonial Revival 1953? 24 Bennin on Road Colonial Revival 1950? 3 Eliot Road 1928 508 4 Eliot Road Francis W. Dean House Shingle Style 1902 507 6 Eliot Road Harry Fay/Richard Engstrom House Georgian Revival Oswald Hering 1907 506 10 Eliot Road C.W. Kettell House Colonial Revival Lois Lilley Howe 1901 11 Eliot Road Colonial Revival 1935? 14 Eliot Road Georgi Revival 1923? 18 Eliot Road Georgi Revival 1928? 19 Eliot Road Colonial Revival 1930? 21 Eliot Road Colonial Revival 1930? 505 23 Eliot Road Charles Follen Garrison House Dutch Colonial 1900 504 27 Eliot Road Mrs. George Stowell House Shingle Style 1896 513 5 Pelham Road George W. Stowell House Colonial Revival 1896 514 13 Pelham Road Francis Jackson Garrison House Georgian Revival Lois Lilley Howe 1900 4 Percy Road Craftsman 1916 490, 134 11 Percy Road Warren Sherburne House Col. Revival/Queen Anne S.D. Kelley 1893 491 14 Percy Road Col. Charles Thornton House Shingle Style Day 1893-4 492 15 Percy Road Warren Sherburne, Jr. House Col. Revival/Queen Anne c.1890-3 493 16 Percy Road Col. Charles Thornton Cottage Shingle Style Day 1893-4 17 Percy Road Queen Anne 1895? 494 20 Percy Road Arthur Newell House Shingle Style Chapman & Frazer/A.C. Washburn 1896 495 24 PercyRoad William E. Pa e Houe Shingle Style 1896 Updated by Lisa Mausolf, Oct. 2009 27 Percy Road Queen Anne 1887? 496 28 Percy Road Addie Hastings House Col. Rev./Craftsman c.1920 497 31 Percy Road Frank W. Coburn House Queen Anne 1886 32 Percy Road 1900? 36 Percy Road Dutch Colonial 1929? 37 Percy Road Queen Anne 1887? 40 Percy Road Dutch Colonial 1915? 498 42 Percy Road Hiram Janvrin House Ital./Col. Revival 1891 44 Percy Road Colonial Revival 1910? 499 45 Percy Road Albin Rufus Reed House Col. Rev./Queen Anne 1894 500 50 Percy Road Wildacre Inn Edward Goodwin Reed 1902 501 8 Warren Street Grace Cook House Col. Rev./Queen Anne 1895 9 Warren Street Tudor Revival 19319 502 12 Warren Street Mrs. William (Helen) Munroe House Colonial Revival Henry Ball c.1900 503 4 Washington Street J.M. Brooks House Shingle Style c.1899 5 Washington Street Colonial Revival 1923? 9 Washington Street Colonial Revival 1905? 15 Washington Street Dutch Colonial 1924? Updated by Lisa Mausolf, Oct. 2009