[MassHistPres] William Ralph Emerson House in Weston Threatened

[Dennis De Witt]

Marisa

Don’t get me wrong.  Its a remarkable house — and, I think, if in that plan form as early as 1885, very early.  I have just google-searched the two volumes of AABN for 1887 and don’t find a relevant citation for Emerson or Weston.  I will check with Roger.

Have you demo delay?

Is there any likelihood that the sub-division will need any special permits or variances or will not be ANR?  There was a case in Brookline a while back where the planing department found a “hook” that allowed a negotiation to permit saving the house with design review for the new houses.  The “hook” in that case was that altho the lot was on a public street, the street was less than 40’ wide which meant that the subdivision was not ANR.

Dennis De Witt
Brookline


On Jul 31, 2014, at 10:03 AM, Marisa Morra <marisa-ah at comcast.net> wrote:

> ALL.
> Thanks for all the support on this house.
> The William Ralph Emerson (WRE) attribution is by Roger Reed, the Emerson Scholar, and he  told us in 2008, long after it was put on Macris.  The dates are as follows: 1882 B. Loring Young buys the land. 1885 he is first taxed for a house valued at $13,000 (big money then), and 1887 Reed finds it in the  American Architect and Builder as a dwelling by WRE, architect,  builders are Flanagan  Brothers, Boston for B. Loring Young in Weston. At the time is was built it was on South Av (now rt.30), then the address was 4 Newton street, now it is 20 Young rd. and the Macris # is WSN.353.
> 
> Since I emailed you a few days ago the  property has gone pending to the developer. Roger Reed is in the Boston area this week and I tried to get the owner to let him look at the house, but they refused.
> 
> We will try to list it on the "Most Endangered" list, and write some articles, but for now, it is not looking good for this splendid house.
> 
> It has been modified over the years, and lost its front gambrel gable, similar to the Loring house in Prides' Crossing.
> here is an old photo of the house.
> thanks,
> Marisa Morra
> Weston Hist. Comm.
> 
> <IMG_2541.jpeg>
> 
> On Jul 29, 2014, at 12:55 PM, Dennis De Witt wrote:
> 
>> What a fabulous house!  Why can’t I find it on Macris?  Not on the NR?
>> 
>> I am suspicious of the 1882 date.  It is a full blown Butterfly plan together with Voyesque double gables — both strongly suggest at least a post 1890 date.
>> 
>> Maybe it needs a broker who is dedicated to historic houses.  Neighbors of ours marketed their house with such a broker and, unlike too many houses in our LHD of late, the new owners didn’t initiate a year(s) long total gut job.  They actually moved right into it!
>> 
>> This house is listed by dozens of MLS firms — that historic homes broker appears not to be among them.
>> 
>> Dennis De Witt
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Jul 29, 2014, at 10:39 AM, Marisa Morra <marisa-ah at comcast.net> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hello All,
>>> First I'd like to tell people that the Weston Old Library Gutter issue was resolved; we found a Craftsman in Worcester that had the old crimping machine & could do a long run in the vertical direction, so thanks to all  who helped us with that, you saved the day!
>>> 
>>> There is a wonderful 1882 William Ralph Emerson house (20 Young Road) for sale on 3.67 acres. It needs work, but is a fabulous home. So far, only builders wanting to tear it down and make  3-4 house lots are interested, and there is a good chance that the owners may just give in and sell it that way. We have not been able to make any headway regarding a preservation restriction.
>>> 
>>> I'm putting it out to the preservation community  to see if anyone knows someone who has always wanted an Emerson house, or wasn't looking in Weston for  this type of house (it's our only WRE house). 
>>> 
>>> Marisa Morra
>>> Weston Historic Commission
>>> 
>>> the MLS number is 71652862  the house is listed for $2.795 million, it is also listed as "land"
>>> <Image 10.jpg><Image 12.jpg>
>>> 
>>> 
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