No. 5684 386 Ashmont Street, photograph March 30, 2005.
Date of construction: 1849
MACRIS BOS.5659
Nathaniel Tolman House
circa 1845
Greek Revival, Italianate
1978 BLC survey notes: Transitional Greek Revival/Italianate style house with Gothic Revival overtones, arched one-bay entrance porch and projecting gable roofed pavilion above; lancet arched window in attic of central pavilion; corner pilasters/paneled on main block and pavilion; wide frieze, pedimented window cornices, porch across front; dormers
Substantial setback and large back yard suggest an important semi rural setting originally; cut granite posts flank driveway.
Reader’s Comment:
John Nelson: When I was growing up there was a farm on Ashmont St. between Florida and Adams St. owned by a farmer by the name of Walsh I believe. The farm extended behind a row of three deckers on Florida St. Even by Great Depression standards those living in those dwellings were poor by the standards of the day. Mr. Walsh had a horse and plow and in the Spring would plow up the farm and plant. When the vegetables reached maturity, he would then hitch the horse to a wagon and peddle the produce throughout the neighborhood.
Comment from Earl Taylor: in the early years of the 21st century, developers gained control of the old house and the property between the house facing Ashmont Street and the house facing Wrentham Street for the construction of condominiums. They seem to have acquired property that was owned separately from 386 Ashmont so that their property would stretch to Adams Street. In about 2008 descendants of the Blandino family who had once owned the property that remained with the old house tried to find a plan to buy the property back from the developers and turn it into a non-profit community resource. Since the construction of the condos had already begun, the expense proved too great. As of 2009, the project seems to be stalled, possibly due to the downturn in the real estate market over the preceding couple of years.
Owners from maps and atlases:
1850 N. Tolman
1858 N. Tolman
1874 Nathaniel Tolman
1884 M. S. Thayer (owns from 386 Ashmont all the way to Adams Street)
1889 Malvina S. Thayer
1894 Malvina S. Thayer
1898 Malvina S. Thayer
1904 Malvina S. Thayer; main house is used by Blue Hill Sanitarium
1910 Union Institution for Savings
1918 John Edwards owns the old house; much of the rest of the property has been subdivided for multi-family housing; Louis Terrace created
1933 John Edwards owns the old house
Dorchester Blue Books
1894 Mrs. & Mrs. J. Loring Thayer; Dr. J. Frank Perry; Mr. & Mrs. S. S. Putnam, Jr.; Mr. & Mrs George C. Shepherd; Mr. & Mrs. Edward B. Aiken, Mr. & Mrs. John H. Card
1896 Mr. & Mrs. J. Loring Thayer
1900 Mrs. J. Loring Thayer; Dr. J. Frank Perry
1902 Mrs. J. Loring Thayer; Dr. J. Frank Perry
1906 Blue Hill Sanitarium; Dr. J. Frank Perry
1908 Blue Hill Sanitarium; Dr. J. Frank Perry
1910 Dr. J. Frank Perry
1913 no entry
1915 no entry
Deed
Nov. 6, 1849 from Thomas J. Tolman to Nathaniel Tolman 190.201
no mention of building
Dorchester. Taxable valuations 1849
Nathaniel Tolman
house (unfinished) $600
1 acre land $400