No. 4489 4 Ashland Street, photograph August, 2004.
Date of construction: by 1853
MACRIS BOS.13613
Dr. Fifield House
circa 1855
Italianate
The following is from the National Register nomination for the Harrison Square Historic District.
Boston City Hospital surgeon Dr. William Cranch Bond Fifield and his daughter, First Parish Church historian Mary Fifield King lived at 4 Ashland. Note the corner quoins and the Italianate rounded windows.
Over time, reversible alterations have been made to numerous buildings in the district. Original clapboards have been replaced by asbestos, asphalt, and vinyl sheathing, as well as by wood shingles. For example, the Italianate house at 4 Ashland Street is currently in the process of stucco removal to reveal original clapboards.
Dr. William Cranch Bond Fifield’s daughter, Mary Fifield King, was an astute observer of the local scene who became the First Parish Church’s historian. At her family’s Ashland Street home she compiled a fifteen-volume scrapbook now in the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society, which is a primary source for study of Harrison Square – Clam Point during the period of the 1840s to the 1920s. For many years her mother, Emily A. Fifield was a member of the Boston School Committee, and together with family friend Mrs. Thomas J. Allen “conducted a popular book club and annual book sale from the parlor of her residence at 4 Ashland Street.”
Robinson was born in 1809 and conducted major real estate speculation in Dorchester during the mid-19th century. Prior to the Civil War he is said to have owned all of the land east of Dorchester Avenue from Fields Corner to Dorchester Bay. Robinson was also active in the activities of the First Parish Church, being frequently elected to its standing committee. In reference to Robinson’s role in Harrison Square’s development, parish historian Mary Fifield King notes that “to him was due the laying out of Harrison Square where he built houses and was keen enough to realize how this then unique and pleasing section could be developed.”
According to Sammarco, “Robinson was the principal developer of houses bordering Ashland Street at Clam Point.” Norfolk County deeds indicate that Robinson developed most of Ashland Street. Late 19th century resident Alice Burditt credits Robinson in her memoirs with planting trees along Ashland Street during the early years of the Briggs’ development existence, noting that “the graceful elms which arched Mill and Ashland streets seemed like old settlers but I am inclined to think that their presence was due to the forethought of John Robinson and other public minded citizens.” The Robinson-designed Ashland Street became home to some of Harrison Square’s leading families.
While the houses bordering the northwest side of Ashland Street, between park and Elm, were extant by 1850, the northeast side of the street developed over a much more extended period of time. The Italianate house at 4 Ashland Street was built by John Robinson between 1850-1858. Owned for a brief period by Robinson, Alice Burditt states that when the schoolhouse built by Franklin King had become outgrown, “a school was opened in what was later Mr. Fifield’s house. This was taught by a Mr. Burton of Plymouth whose scholarship and character was of a high rank.” 4 Ashland was sold during the early 1860s to Dr. William C.B. Fifield (1828-1896), “honored physician of Dorchester.” Dr. Fifield was associated with Boston City Hospital, distinguishing himself as a surgeon. A member of numerous Boston and New England medical societies, he was particularly active in the Dorchester Medical Society.
Emily A. Fifield from notes for the Dorchester Women’s History Trail
Emily A. Fifield, 4 Ashland Street (home), Harrison Square
The Elementary School at 25 Dunbar Avenue, Dorchester, Built 1918, is named for her.
Fountain at Eaton Square (Meeting House Hill)
Emily A. Fifield (1840-1913), a prominent member of the Boston School
Committee for 17 years, was born in Weymouth, Mass. A resident of Dorchester, she was the second woman ever elected to the Committee. During her term (1883-1902), she was instrumental in establishing manual training in the schools. In the 1898 School Committee Directory, her address is listed as 4 Ashland Street, Dorchester [Source: Earl; What’s In a Name? Names of Boston’s Schools: Their Origin. Boston: School Volunteers for Boston and the Boston Public Schools, 1980.
[DHS has Emily’s daughter Mary Fifield King papers; possibly has info to be searched; MHS has First Parish scrapbooks collected by church historian Mary Fifield King 1860s-1935; BPL Special Collections Dept, Rare Books and Manuscripts has Boston School Committee Archives: The collection consists of the original documents and related papers of the Committee from 1792 through 1870. For newer School Committee, try City Archives, John McColgan]
Owners from maps and atlases
1858 J. Robinson
1874 Wm T. C. Fifield
1884 Wm C. Fifield
1889 Emily A. Fifield
1894 Emily A. Fifield
1898 Emily A. Fifield
1904 Emily A. Fifield
1910 Emily A. Fifield
1918 Alice F. Kinneally
1933 John Gaviani
Deed
April 26, 1866 from John H. Robinson to Noah. Fifield, M.D. 341.204
consideration $5,700
May 2, 1853 from John P. Clapp, lumber dealer, to John H. Robinson 217.285
consideration $1,336.782 with the buildings thereon lot 5
July 24, 1851 from John H. Robinson to John P. Clapp 203.121
consideration $1,327.37 bequested to Robinson by his mother Rachel no mention of a buildng