150-152 Beacon Street

150-152 Beacon Street

150 Beacon Street was designed by architect Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow, Jr. and built in 1904-1905 by Frank L. Whitcomb, builder, as the home of industrialist and Massachusetts Governor Eben Sumner Draper and his wife, Nannie (Bristow) Draper.  They previously had lived at 90 Marlborough Street.

It replaced two houses built ca. 1860 and previously owned (as a single residence) by John Lowell Gardner, Jr., and his wife, Isabella (Stewart) Gardner. 

150 Beacon had been built as the home of shoe and leather merchant Barnabas Thayer Loring and his wife, Phebe Farnum (Southwick) Loring.  By 1872, it was the home of textile mill owner Andrew Robeson, Jr., and his wife, Mary (Allen) Robeson.  He died in July of 1874, and his widow continued to live there until about 1880.

152 Beacon had been built by New York importer and mine owner, David Stewart, as a wedding present when his daughter, Isabella, married John Lowell Gardner, Jr., in April of 1860.  In the early 1880s, they acquired 150 Beacon and combined the two houses to provide greater space for the display of the growing art collection being assembled by Mrs. Gardner.  Jack Gardner died in 1898, and Isabella Gardner purchased land in the Fenway area and began plans for construction of her Fenway Court museum and residence.  She continued to live at 150-152 Beacon until about 1902, when Fenway Court was completed.

Eben Draper purchased the houses in June of 1904 and had them razed for his new residence.  He is shown as the owner on the original building permit application, dated October 29, 1904.

On October 5, 1909, less than five years after it was completed, 150 Beacon suffered a major fire which destroyed the entire interior, leaving only the walls intact.  After inspecting the damage, he commented that "there was not a thing left as large as a finger that I could take as a souvenir."  The house was rebuilt under the direction of the original architect and builder.

Nannie Draper died in September of 1913 and Eben Draper died in April of 1914.

By 1915, it was the home of the Drapers son-in-law and daughter, banker Thomas Brattle Gannett, Jr., and Dorothy (Draper) Gannett.  Dorothy Gannett is shown as the owner on the 1917 Bromley map.

By 1922, it was the home of automobile dealer and Massachusetts Governor Alvan T. Fuller and his wife, Viola (Davenport) Fuller.  They previously had lived in Malden.  They also maintained a summer home in Little Boar's Head, New Hampshire.  Flora A. Fuller, Alvan Fuller's mother, is shown as the owner of 150 Beacon on the 1928 Bromley map, and Viola D. Fuller, his wife, is shown as the owner on the 1938 Bromley map.

The Fullers continued to own, and probably to live at, 150 Beacon in 1954, and probably somewhat later.

By 1961, 150 Beacon was owned by Norman S. and Eleanor R. Rabb.  In April of 1961, Emerson College purchased 150 Beacon from the Rabbs.  The College changed the property’s use from a single-family dwelling and remodeled it into a dormitory and dining quarters.

In 1966, the College acquired 148 Beacon and, in May of 1967, it combined 148 Beacon with 150 Beacon, which it already owned, and changed the legal use of 148 Beacon from a single-family dwelling to a school.

In April of 1976, the College filed for (and received) clarification that 148-150 Beacon was being used for dormitory and dining quarters, and in July of 1976. it filed for (and received) clarification that the upper floors could be used as a library.

In September of 1999, Emerson College sold 150 Beacon to 150 Beacon Associates LLC, and sold 148 Beacon to Joseph T. Doyle, Jr., Trustee of the 148 Beacon Street Realty Trust.  The properties were separated from each other, and in October of 1999. 150 Beacon Associates filed to convert the property into seven apartments, including constructing a 470 square foot addition on the roof.  They subsequently withdrew their proposal for the rooftop addition.