The Stevens-Coolidge Place
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The Stevens-Coolidge Place
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| location | Massachusetts , United States | |
| surface | 36.83 ha | |
| WDPA ID | 55554476 | |
| Geographical location | 42 ° 41 ′ N , 71 ° 7 ′ W | |
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| Setup date | 1962 | |
| administration | The Trustees of Reservations | |
The Stevens-Coolidge Place (formerly Ashdale Farm ) is a 91 acres (36.8 hectare ) nature reserve near the city of North Andover in the state of Massachusetts in the United States . It is managed by The Trustees of Reservations organization.
history
Similar to the nearby Castle Hill , the property dates back to a time when the wealthy preferred to display their wealth by building country houses with attached garden that are only inhabited in summer. From 1914 to 1962 it belonged to the US diplomat John Gardner Coolidge , a nephew of Isabella Stewart Gardner , who lived there with his family during the summer months. Previously known as Ashdale Farm , the property had previously been owned by his wife, Helen Stevens Coolidge's family, who had farmed it for six generations for six generations.
House
The main house consists of two detached houses placed next to each other and connected to one another, which were built by Helen Coolidge's grandparents at the beginning of the 19th century and converted in the Italianate style in the 1850s . A ballroom in one of the wings of the building indicates, in conjunction with traditional records, that the Stevens family once ran an inn there. Today's protected area, which includes the building and the associated property, is named after both families.
In a further renovation in 1914, the property was adapted to the trend of colonial revival architecture . The architect Joseph Chandler worked in dormer windows , arched windows and other design elements from Georgian and Federal architecture . These expansions improved the access for air and light, enlarged the living space and visually linked the interior of the house more closely to the exterior systems. Chandler also doubled the size of the dining room and added a terrace to the back of the house .
Typical design features of Chandler, such as the fireplace tiles in the style of Delft ceramics or the grand staircase , which he had already installed in the same form in the Mayflower House in Plymouth , can still be seen today. The colorful and eclectic decoration of the house reflects the wide range of interests of the Coolidge family. The outstanding collection of Chinese porcelain and other Asian treasures, maintained by John Coolidge, stands together with furniture from the British colonial era, Irish glassware, European porcelain, handicrafts, paintings, prints and other souvenirs from the family's trips around the world. The mural in the entrance hall was made by the Spanish traveling artist Joseph Remidas and brings elements of the outside area into the interior of the house.
landscape
The design chosen by Chandler for the garden at the back of the house is geometrically laid out in such a way that the individual areas form independent spaces under the open sky. In 1931, at the request of Helen Coolidge, he also set up a French garden , which he placed right next to a brick wall whose appearance resembles that designed by Thomas Jefferson for the University of Virginia . This section was recently redesigned to make way for ginkgo trees, but is currently being gradually restored.
Immediately behind the gardens and lawns, extensive pastures and wooded areas begin. The Coolidge family raised cattle , grew vegetables, and also had an orchard of apple trees, which they used to make their own cider at the time of Prohibition .
In 1962, Helen Coolidge bequeathed the property to the Trustees of Reservations.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Property History. (No longer available online.) The Trustees of Reservations , archived from the original on May 24, 2013 ; accessed on July 10, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
