Oak View, Norwood, Massachusetts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oak View |
|
|---|---|
Oak View
|
|
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Town or city | 289 Walpole Street Norwood, Massachusetts |
| Country | USA |
| Construction started | 1870 |
| Completed | 1873 |
| Client | Francis Olney Winslow |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Benjamin F. Dwight |
Oak View is a beautiful old mansion in Norwood, Massachusetts. It was built in the Second Empire style in 1870.
Contents
A Look Back at Oak View's History
The idea for Oak View, also known as the Winslow-Allen mansion, began in 1868. Its construction started in 1870 for Francis Olney Winslow. Mr. Winslow was from a wealthy local family involved in the tanning business. He greatly expanded their family's work. Born in 1844, he had the mansion built, and it was finished in 1873.
Francis O. Winslow passed away in 1926. After his death, Oak View went to his daughter, Clara Winslow, and her husband, Frank G. Allen. They married on December 2, 1897. Frank G. Allen later became the Governor of Massachusetts. Many important people visited Oak View during those years. These guests included President William Howard Taft and President Calvin Coolidge. Famous artist John Singer Sargent and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff also visited. Other notable guests were philosopher William James and Oliver Wendell Holmes.
In 1954, the Allens sold Oak View to a religious group called the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity. In 1978, Barbara Rand and Robert Pegurri bought the house. Since 1989, Oak View has been home to the Oak View Museum of Dollhouses.
OakView Preservation Incorporated (OVPI)
OakView Preservation Incorporated (OVPI) is a non-profit corporation. This means it's a group that doesn't make money for its owners. It was formed in Commonwealth of Massachusetts to raise money. Their goal is to buy and protect Oak View. Oak View was used as a Governor's Mansion in 1929. It was also the home of industrialist George Winslow starting in 1872.
OVPI plans to keep the building safe as both a home and a museum. As a museum, OVPI will help people learn and discover. It will teach them about the past and our natural, cultural, and artistic history. After buying and preserving the house, OVPI will focus on collecting, caring for, displaying, and teaching about historical items.
What the Museum Will Do
Collecting History
The museum's collection will focus on items and information that help us understand our heritage better. This includes historical objects and facts about the Town of Norwood. It will also cover the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, important business leaders from the past, and the people who built the home. They will also collect items from the Victorian era.
Caring for Collections
People called curators will work to improve the collections. They will make sure the items are kept safe. They will also make sure the collections and their information are available to everyone. This is all part of OakView Preservation Incorporated's efforts.
Displaying Exhibits
Exhibits will show collections based on different themes. These themes will connect ideas from many areas of study. They will help visitors better understand and appreciate our diverse cultural history.
Why OakView Preservation Matters
OakView Preservation Incorporated (OVPI) has several important goals:
- To care about the past and honor what people from earlier times achieved. This includes the places they lived, especially Oak View in Norwood, Massachusetts.
- To preserve Oak View for the future. By protecting our past, we remember how we got here, where we are now, and what we should do next. This idea is why OVPI's motto is "Past, Present, Future."
- To make sure future generations can also enjoy beautiful buildings and landscapes like we do today.
- To teach the public about Oak View's important role in our history. They will do this through a museum at the house. They will also host other educational and cultural events.
- To always think about the future. This means continuing to fix and improve the house. It also means training volunteers for the museum. They want to treat the house as a living museum forever.
- To encourage discovery, learning, and appreciation for history. After raising money to buy the house, OVPI's main activities will be collecting, caring for, displaying, and educating.
OakView Preservation Incorporated works to protect the area around Oak View, the home itself, and the building for people now and in the future. They want to make sure the land around the house is never taken over. They also want to treat all the land as if it were a park. OVPI encourages everyone to use and enjoy Oak View forever. They will provide resources for collecting, caring for, displaying, and educating. They also want to make more people aware of how important it is to preserve history and cultural heritage for everyone.
Preservation means caring about the past. It means honoring the achievements of people from earlier times. It also means caring about the places they lived and worked. Preservation also cares about the present and the future. By protecting our past, it helps us remember how we came to be. It helps us understand where we are now and where we are going. Preservation wants to give future generations the same chances to enjoy beautiful places like Oak View. This is what OakView Preservation Incorporated (OVPI) aims to do. They do this by raising money and making their organization strong. This helps ensure the organization lasts forever, just like Oak View.
