No. 6098 61 Alban Street, photograph April 18, 2005.
Date of construction: 1888
In the appendix to The Second Settlement, Shand-Tucci cites a building permit from 1888 – Harrison Atwood architect, James Pope builder, James Pope owner – need to check deeds
The following is from Ashmont by Douglass Shand-Tucci, p. 94-95
Across the street at 61 Alban, the Atwood House, lived the afore-mentioned Harrison Henry Atwood, Dorchester congressman in 1895-1897, who before and after going to Washington served for many years in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Throughout his long career in politics Atwood was a leader in the Republican party in Massachusetts. Born in North Londonderry, Vermont, in 1863 and by profession an architect, trained at the Boston Architectural School, in 1889-1891 he was City Architect of Boston, holding the office just prior ot Edmund Wheelwright. Atwood designed several houses on Alban Street (two of which, 91 and 77, we have already noted), besides his own house, to be discussed shortly. … At first glance the Atwood House itself at 61 may disappoint. Looked at one way, it is a kind of overblown bungalow, and that is not a form likely to seem at home on a Victorian New England streetscape. Yet the house has about it, despite its parade of bay windows and elaborate stained glass, almost a kind of Prairie Style horizontality in its long, low profile and widely overhanging hip roof and bands of winsow. One is reminded of Arthur Krim’s rather controversial observation in Northwest Cambridge that certain houses of the early 1890s in that area seem to represent
a fusion of two Western movements: the Prairie style of the midwest, developed in Chicago, and the Bungalow style of California, developed in Los Angeles. It is an historical paradox that the origins of these Western styles lay in the Queen Anne Shingle style developed in the Boston area during the 1890s. The Shingle style’s massive gambrel and hip roofs, flowing porches, informal fenestration and textured wall surfaces had provided the basic element with which Western architects began their innovations in the 1890s.
On Alban Street it would be even more enthusiastic to make such claims for a house of 1888, but it may certainly be said that Atwood was a forward-looking architect who achieved here a very advanced design. Advanced — but also eclectic. Try (without trespassing!) to note the brilliant way Atwood smuggled his carriage house into the rear of his house — beautifully “built in” (itself a new idea in 1888 that by 1930 would be commonplace) so as to be part of the house’s foundation. , where because of the hill’s steep descent the cellar becomes a full story. Note also how lovely that foundation is, with its variegated granite trimmed with red brick. Moreover, the classical stone balustrade is an imaginative touch (almost post-modern!). Behind it in the yard is said to survive one of the pple trees of the Welles estate, begun nearly two hundred years ago.
The following is from the area form for Ashmont Hill, Boston Landmarks Commission
61 Alban Street was designed in 1888 by and for architect Harrison Henry Atwood. This is a Shingle Style house whose boxy, rectangular form and low hip roof prophecises bungalow forms of the early 20th century. Covered with a skin of shingles, this house exhibits a 2-bay main facade with a corner entrance porch enclosed by large windows with multi -pane cash. The south wall exhibts a “parade of bay windows” noteworthy for their well crafted and colorful stained glass. Tucci points out “the brilliant way Atwood snuggled his carriage house into the rear of his house–beautifully “built in” so as to be part of the house’s foundation, where because of the hill’s steep descent the cellar becomes a full story.” The “built in” carriage house anticipates the automobile garage that would be commonplace by 1930. Projecting from this house’s low hip roof ae double dormers atop the narrow facades and three dormers on each side slope. These dormers are enclosed by gable roofs with “visor-like” skirts that surmount the windows.
The following is from: Codman Square House Tour Booklet 1997
61 Alban Street is the home that Boston City Architect (1889-91) and U.S. Representative (1895-97) Harrison Atwood designed for himself in 1888. It presents a narrow face to the street and is unostentatious in detail, yet is one of Ashmont Hill’s largest and most lavish houses. As you pass, notice the extreme depth of the house (about three times the width of the street façade) and randomly coursed, but carefully designed and certainly costly, granite and brick foundation. While the classically swagged leaded-glass window transoms betray the date of the structure, the broad eave overhang with exposed rafters at the main cornice and attic dormers look ahead to the bungalows of the early twentieth century.
The following is from: Codman Square House Tour Booklet 1998
61 Alban Street is the home that future Boston City Architect (1889-91) and U.S. Representative (1895-97) Harrison Atwood designed for himself in 1888. Although it presents a narrow face to the street and is—atypically for its time—unostentatious in detail, this is one of Ashmont Hill’s largest and most lavish houses. It is also one of the most stylistically advanced for its era. As you pass, notice the extreme depth of the house (about three times the width of the street façade) and “randomly” course, but carefully designed and certainly costly, granite and brick foundation. Note, too, that as the lot slopes away toward the rear of the house, a garage (originally a stable) is incorporated into the high basement. While the taut shingled skin and classically-swagged leaded-glass window transoms betray the date of the structure, the broad eave overhang with exposed rafters at main cornice and attic dormers look ahead to the bungalows of the early twentieth century.
The following is frome: Codman Square House Tour Booklet 1999
Year Built: 1888
Architect: Harrison Atwood
Style: Shingle
Although its narrow street frontage belies its commodious scale and its minimal exterior detailing is atypical for its time, this is one of Ashmont Hill’s largest and most lavish houses. It is also one of the most stylistically advanced for its era. Not surprisingly, perhaps, it was designed by an architect and future congressman as his own home. The interior has a linear, side-hall configuration much like a Back Bay rowhouse of the same period. One enters a stair hall with cherry woodwork to the left, beyond which is a library whose built-in bookcases retain their leaded-glass doors. To the right is an impressive enfilade of reception room, parlor and dining room. In the latter rooms glowing oak woodwork is used for the heavily carved Classical mantelpieces and the beamed and coffered ceilings. In the original dining room (now used as a sitting room) the center door of the built-in oak sideboard is carved with the face of Bacchus, god of wine. At the rear, a butler’s pantry opens to a simple kitchen. Upstairs are a plethora of second-floor bedrooms and a dressing room with its original built-ins. Most of the third floor is occupied by a large ballroom—just the thing for entertaining clients and constituents alike.
The following is from: Ashmont Hill Association House Tour Guide, Sunday, May 22, 1977
Confined to a relatively narrow plot, this house, built in 1888 by and for architect Harrison Atwood, assumes the aspect of a modest bungalow in front, but swells to quite grand proportions in back. Note the full basement of cut stone, and the porch on the first floor in back, a full story above ground. Note also the brims on the third-floor dormers. Of particular interest inside are the mahogany hallway and stairwell, with somewhat atypical abstract stained glass windows; the coffered ceilings and bay windows in the parlor and dining room; the carved oak in the dining room (especially the bas-relief doors on the breakfront cupboards); and the chauffeur’s quarters and turntable garage floor.
Owners from atlases:
1889 H.H. Atwood—the house shows up for the first time on the 1889 atlas
1894 Clara Atwood
1898 Clara Atwood
1904 Clara Atwood
1910 Clara Atwood
1918 Clara Atwood
1933 Clara Atwood Est
Deed
October 12, 1887 from George Derby Welles to Harrison H. Atwood 1793.241 lot 232 and part 233
Aug. 7, 1893 from Harrison H. Atwood to George B. Bird 2147.356
Aug. 7, 1893 from George B. Bird to Clara Atwood, wife of Harrison H. Atwood 2147.360 lot 232 and pt 233
Parcel of land 9000 sq ft
Boston Directory
1888, 1889 Harrison H. Atwood, architect, 22 School., b. 25 Poplar
1890 Harrison H. Atwood, city architect, City Hall, h. 61 Alban
1892, 1893, 1894 Harrison H. Atwood, architect, 53 State, rm. 641, h. 61 Alban
Dorchester Blue Books
1894 Residents of 61 Alban Street were Mr. & Mrs. Harrison H. Atwood
1896 Residents of 61 Alban Street were Mr. & Mrs. Harrison H. Atwood
1900 Residents of 61 Alban Street were Mr. & Mrs. Harrison H. Atwood
1902 Residents of 61 Alban Street were Mr. & Mrs. Harrison H. Atwood
1904 Residents of 61 Alban Street were Mr. & Mrs. Harrison H. Atwood
1906 Residents of 61 Alban Street were Mr. & Mrs. Harrison H. Atwood
1908 Residents of 61 Alban Street were Mr. & Mrs. Harrison H. Atwood
1910 Residents of 61 Alban Street were Mr. & Mrs. Harrison H. Atwood
1913 Residents of 61 Alban Street were Mr. & Mrs. Harrison H. Atwood
1915 Residents of 61 Alban Street were Mr. & Mrs. Harrison H. Atwood
Census 1910
Harrison Atwood, 36, architect
Clara Atwood, 36
Harrison H. Atwood, 9
August S. Atwood, 8
Nellie Anderson, 20, servant
Census 1910
Harrison H. Atwood, 46, architect
Clara Atwood, 46
Harrison H. Atwood, Jr., 19
August S. Atwood, 18
Charles F. Atwood, 13, ward
Mary Burns, 27, servant