Dupee Estate–Mary Baker Eddy Home facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Dupee Estate
|
|
 |
|
| Location | 400 Beacon Street Chestnut Hill Newton, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Area | 8.3 acres (34,000 m2) |
| Built | 1880–1881 |
| Architect | Peabody and Stearns |
| NRHP reference No. | 86001790 |
| Added to NRHP | September 4, 1986 |
The Dupee Estate is a historic house in Chestnut Hill, a village within Newton, Massachusetts. It was the last home of Mary Baker Eddy. She was the founder of a religion called Christian Science.
Contents
What the Dupee Estate Looks Like
This property is quite large, about 8.3 acres. It has a main house and a building that used to be a gatehouse and a carriage house. This building is near the entrance from Beacon Street. There are also two smaller buildings on the property.
The Main House: Design and Features
The main house was built between 1880 and 1881. It was designed by architects Peabody and Stearns. Its style is sometimes called "Ruskinian Gothic" or "Gothic, Stick/Eastlake." This means it has features inspired by medieval churches and also decorative wooden elements. The estate was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 4, 1986. This list recognizes important historical places in the United States.
The main house has three stories and a basement. It has 25 rooms and four chimneys. The house covers about 17,180 square feet. Its outside walls are made of strong stones like puddingstone, granite, and blue stone blocks. Bricks frame the windows and doors. The roof is made of black slate with red copper parts. It also has many dormer windows and skylights.
A big renovation of the house happened in 1907 and 1908. Architect Solon Spencer Beman designed these changes. This was done to get the house ready for Mary Baker Eddy and her staff. The renovation changed the house's shape and layout. Two elevators were added inside. A large new wing was also built, matching the original style.
Other Buildings on the Property
The gate-carriage house was built in 1892. It has about 6,575 square feet of space. There is also a garage, which is smaller at about 670 square feet.
History of the Dupee Estate
The Dupee Estate has an interesting past. It changed hands several times before becoming Mary Baker Eddy's home.
Before Mary Baker Eddy Lived Here
The main house was built in 1880 by William Richardson Dupee. He was born in Brighton, Massachusetts, in 1841. He passed away in Brookline in 1911. In 1895, the Dupee family sold the estate to R. Ashton Lawrence.
Mary Baker Eddy's Time at the Estate
Mary Baker Eddy bought the estate from R. Ashton Lawrence in October 1907. She moved in after the renovations were finished in 1908. She used the house as her home. It also served as her office. From here, she managed the Christian Science church she had founded. Mary Baker Eddy passed away at the house on December 3, 1910. She was buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery.
What Happened After Eddy's Death
Mary Baker Eddy left the estate to her church. For many years, the church kept the house just as she had left it. It was open to the public for a long time. However, the costs of keeping it up grew very high. Also, major repairs were needed. Because of this, the church closed it to visitors.
In April 2006, the church announced it would sell the house. This was part of a plan to focus more on spiritual matters. They wanted to manage less real estate. In December 2006, the Longyear Museum bought the house. Longyear Museum works to help people understand Mary Baker Eddy's life and work. They own several other houses connected to her. They paid over $13 million for the estate.
The sale did not include the furniture and items that had been in the home. The church removed these before the sale was complete. In March 2007, Longyear Museum bought some furniture, rugs, and five carriages from the estate. They hope to buy more of Mary Baker Eddy's personal items in the future.
Longyear Museum is currently repairing and restoring the house. They do offer tours by appointment. During these tours, visitors see the mostly empty house. Photographs are used to show how it looked when Mary Baker Eddy lived there.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Newton, Massachusetts
- Mary Baker Eddy Historic House for a list of the eight houses owned by the Longyear Museum.
