Howe, Manning & Almy, Inc. facts for kids

Howe, Manning & Almy, Inc. was a special company in Boston, Massachusetts. It was an architectural firm, which means they designed buildings. What made them special? It was started in 1926 by three amazing women! They were all graduates of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This firm was one of the very first architectural companies in the United States started by women.

One of the founders, Lois Lilley Howe, actually started her own design business way back in 1900. Later, in 1913, she teamed up with another MIT graduate, Eleanor Manning O'Connor. Their company was called Lois Lilley, Howe & Manning. Then, in 1926, Mary Almy joined them, and the firm became Howe, Manning & Almy, Inc. The company stopped working together in 1937 when Lois Howe retired. After that, Eleanor Manning and Mary Almy each started their own design businesses.

Designing Homes and More

Even though Howe, Manning & Almy designed some buildings for businesses and the government, they mostly focused on homes. In the early 1900s, many people thought women were best at designing houses because it was seen as a "domestic" (home-related) task.

Their Unique Style

The architects at Howe, Manning & Almy loved older building styles. They often designed homes that looked like Tudor, Georgian, or American Colonial buildings. These are all types of Revivalist styles.

When they designed a building, they thought about how people would live in it every day. They weren't afraid to change traditional styles to make a home simpler and more comfortable. Their designs were smart and blended well with other buildings nearby. They used classic materials like wood, brick, and stucco. The firm also liked to reuse materials from other projects. They often renovated old homes instead of building new ones. This helped to save money and resources.

Notable Projects

Here are some of the buildings Howe, Manning & Almy helped design:

• Business Women's Club: This building was completed in 1912 and is in Boston.
• Louis C. Cornish House: Built in 1916, you can find this house at 15 Fayerweather Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• Elinor Prudden Home: This home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, was originally built in 1830. Howe, Manning & Almy helped restore it in 1925. It is still standing today.
• Old Harbor Village: This large housing project, now called the Mary Ellen McCormack housing project, was finished in 1937 in South Boston. It is still in use.