18 Commonwealth Avenue

18 Commonwealth Avenue

18 Commonwealth Avenue was built ca. 1864 for merchant and banker Samuel Gray Ward.  Several years earlier, in about 1861, he had built 20 Commonwealth next door, which became the home of his mother, Mrs. Lydia (Gray) Ward, the widow of Thomas Wren Ward.  Samuel Ward is shown as the owner of 18 and 20 Commonwealth on the 1874 Bromley map; he and his wife lived at 1 Commonwealth.

From photographs taken ca. 1941, before it was drastically remodeled, it appears that 18 Commonwealth was designed to provide a transition between 16 Commonwealth, built about the same time, and the earlier buildings at 20-36 Commonwealth.  The entrance of 18 Commonwealth was identical to those of 20-36 Commonwealth, as was the fenestration.  However, instead of a single-story oriel window (as appear on 20-36 Commonwealth), it had a two-story oriel (providing a transition to the full bay window at 16 Commonwealth), and the building surface appears to have been brownstone (like 16 Commonwealth) rather than brick.  The dormer window in the mansard is of a different style from either of its neighbors.

By 1865, 18 Commonwealth was the home of Samuel Ward's brother-in-law and sister, merchant Charles Hazen Dorr and Mary Gray (Ward) Dorr.  Charles Hazen Dorr’s brother-in-law and sister, Henry Edwards and  Martha Ann (Dorr) Edwards, lived at 34 Commonwealth.

The Dorrs acquired 18 Commonwealth from Samuel Ward, and Mary G. Dorr is shown as the owner on the 1883 and 1888 Bromley maps.

The Dorrs continued to live there in 1882, but appear to have lived elsewhere for the next few years.

By 1884, it was the home of Charles B. Parkinson, and by 1885, it was the home of Walter Potter, a dealer in commercial paper (he had lived at 36 Commonwealth in 1884).

The Dorrs were once again living at 18 Commonwealth in 1888, but by 1892, they were living elsewhere and 18 Commonwealth was the home of merchandise broker Nathaniel Perez Hamlen.  He moved to 108 Beacon Street by 1894.

Charles Dorr died in 1893.  Mary Dorr continued to live at 18 Commonwealth until her death in October of 1901.  She also maintained a summer home in Bar Harbor.

After Mary Dorr's death, 18 Commonwealth became the home of her son, George Buckman Dorr.  He is shown as the owner on the 1908 Bromley map.

George Dorr was founder the Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations in Maine, which facilitated formation of Acadia National Park.

He continued to live at 18 Commonwealth in 1915 and to be shown as the owner on the 1917 Bromley map (the house was not listed in the 1917 Blue Book).

By 1918, it was the home of real estate and insurance broker Herbert Freeman Winslow and his wife, Carrie Homer (Clark) Winslow.  Carrie Winslow is shown as the owner on the 1928 Bromley map.

The Winslows also maintained a summer home in Chatham.

The house was not listed in the 1930-1937 Blue Books.  However, Carrie Winslow continued to be shown as the owner on the 1938 Bromley map.

By 1942, 18 Commonwealth was owned by Saul and Sarah Levitan, who converted it from a single-family dwelling into a lodging house.

In December of 1946, Saul B. Levitan added an owner's apartment on the fourth and fifth floors, including enlarging the windows on both floors.  It appears likely that it was at this time that the front facade was remodeled to remove the front oriel and otherwise "modernize" the building (the remodeling was definitely done sometime after 1941).

In March of 1952, Saul Levitan converted the building into eleven apartments.