Beaconsfield Terraces Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Beaconsfield Terraces Historic District
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 11–25, 33–43, and 44–55 Garrison Rd. and 316–326, 332–344, and 350–366 Tappan St., Brookline, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 6 acres (2.4 ha) |
| Architect | Fehmer & Page |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Renaissance, Chateauesque, Flemish |
| MPS | Brookline MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85003248 |
| Added to NRHP | October 17, 1985 |
The Beaconsfield Terraces Historic District is a unique collection of homes in Brookline, Massachusetts. It's known for its beautiful row houses, which are houses built side-by-side in a row. These special buildings were constructed between 1889 and 1892. They were part of an early and successful plan for people to own parts of a larger building, a bit like today's condominiums. This area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 because of its important history and architecture.
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Exploring the Beaconsfield Terraces
The Beaconsfield Terraces are located near the corner of Tappan Street and Garrison Road in Brookline. There are six main buildings that make up this historic district. Three of these buildings are along Tappan Street, and the other three are on Garrison Road.
What Do the Buildings Look Like?
The buildings have different architectural styles, making them very interesting to look at.
- Chateauesque Style: Four of the buildings, including the oldest one at 350–366 Tappan Street (built in 1889), have a Chateauesque style. This means they look a bit like French castles, with steep roofs, round doorways, and fancy brickwork. They also have gabled dormer windows and bay windows that stick out.
- Flemish Style: One building has a distinct Flemish style. This means it has special wall gables that look like steps and stone decorations called pinnacles.
- Georgian Revival Style: The last two buildings are in the Georgian Revival style. They are made of red brick and have grand entrance porches with tall, decorative columns.
Who Designed and Built Them?
The Beaconsfield Terraces were designed by a famous architectural firm from Boston called Fehmer and Page. They worked for a developer named Eugene Knapp. Mr. Knapp had seen similar housing ideas in England, where people owned parts of larger buildings. He wanted to bring this idea to America.
He bought land from Henry Whitney, who was a big developer in the area. Knapp's original plan was very ambitious. Besides the row houses, he also planned a park, stables for horses, a playhouse (called a casino back then), and a playground.
A New Way to Own Homes
The idea of condominium ownership was quite new at the time. It meant that people could own their individual home within a larger building, sharing common areas. This development was very popular and quickly attracted important residents, like William Shreve, who was part of the famous jewelry company Shreve, Crump & Low.
Even though the development was a success, Eugene Knapp spent a lot of money on it. Eventually, he sold his share of the project back to Henry Whitney. Today, only the beautiful row houses remain from Knapp's original grand plan. The other parts of the development, like the park and playhouse, have been replaced by other buildings over time.
