172-174 Beacon Street

172-174 Beacon Street

172 Beacon Street was designed by Bigelow and Wadsworth, architects, and built in 1927-1928 for the F. J. Van Etten Company, an eleven story, ten-unit apartment building.  The original building permit application was filed on November 3, 1927.  The permit was denied because of lack of egress and ventilation, but was granted on appeal by the Board of Appeal in November of 1927.

The building replaced two townhouses at 172 and 174 Beacon built ca. 1861 for East India shipping merchant Robert C. Mackay.

172 Beacon was the home of textile manufacturer Richard Sullivan Fay, Jr., and his wife, Elizabeth Francis (Bowditch) Fay.  Richard Fay died in March of 1882.  Elizabeth Fay continued to live at 172 Beacon and, in July of 1891, married again, to Gardiner Greene Hammond, a widower.  Gardiner Greene Hammond died in March of 1903, and Elizabeth Hammond continued to live at 172 Beacon until her death in May of 1924.

174 Beacon was briefly the home of Robert C. Mackay and his wife, Charlotte Laura (Lodge) Mackay.  In about 1863, however, they had a new home built next door, at 176 Beacon, and moved there when it was completed.  After they moved, 174 Beacon became the home of their son, William, who was a partner in his father's shipping firm.

By 1870, 174 Beacon was the home of Francis L. Lee and his wife, Sarah Mary Ann (Wilson) Lee.  Francis Lee was a landscape architect and had served as Colonel of the 41st Massachusetts Infantry in the Civil War.  They also maintained summer homes in Chestnut Hill and in Westport, New York.  By 1872, they had moved to 254 Beacon.

By 1874, 174 Beacon was the home of Samuel William Rodman and his wife, Emma (Motley) Rodman.  Samuel Rodman was retired from the whaling business in New Bedford.  Emma Rodman died in October of 1889, and Samuel Rodman continued to live at 174 Beacon with his unmarried daughter, Emma.  He died in June of 1906.  His daughter continued to live there until about 1924.

172 and 174 Beacon were razed in about 1926.

The 1938 Bromley Atlas shows 172 Beacon Street Incorporated as the owner of this building.