39 Commonwealth Avenue

39 Commonwealth Avenue

39 Commonwealth Avenue was designed by architect Nathaniel J. Bradlee and built ca. 1872, one of three contiguous houses (35 Commonwealth built ca. 1873 and 37-39 Commonwealth built ca. 1872), and one of nine contiguous houses (31-33-35-37-39-41-43-45-47 Commonwealth) built in the same design between 1864 and 1873 (a tenth house, 29 Commonwealth, also built in 1864 but razed in 1894, may also have been of the same style).

39 Commonwealth was built as the home of Isaac Danforth Farnsworth, treasurer of the Boston Wharf Company.  He is shown as the owner on the 1874 Hopkins map and the 1883 Bromley map.

He continued to live at 37 Commonwealth in 1885, and probably until his death in 1888.  Isaac D. Farnsworth's Heirs are shown as the owners on the 1888 Bromley map.

By 1889, it was the home of Henry Mason and his wife, Helen (Palmer) Mason.

Henry Mason was a founder and partner in Mason & Hamlin, manufacturers of organs and pianos. 

He died in May of 1890.  Helen Mason continued to live at 39 Commonwealth in 1899.

By 1900, it was the home of cotton manufacturer and merchant George Dexter and his wife, Sarah Rogers (Endicott) Dexter.  They also maintained a summer home in Prides Crossing.

He died in July of 1910.  Sarah Dexter continued to live at 39 Commonwealth until her death in 1915.  George Dexter's Heirs continued to be shown as the owners on the 1917 Bromley map.

By 1916, it was the home of Miss Katherine Norton Bullard and Miss Ellen T. Bullard.  They were first cousins, the daughters (respectively) of William Story Bullard and Stephen Hopkins Bullard, who had been partners with Henry Lee, Jr. in the shipping merchant firm of Bullard, Lee & Co.  Katherine and Ellen Bullard previously had lived at 3 Commonwealth with Katherine Bullard's widowed mother, Louisa (Norton) Bullard.

In June of 1917, Katherine Bullard received permission to add a one-story rear ell, approximately 17 feet x 10 feet, for use as a "man's room."

Katherine Bullard probably died between 1920 and 1922.  Katherine Bullard's Heirs are shown as the owners on the 1928 and 1938 Bromley maps.

Ellen Bullard continued to live at 39 Commonwealth in 1949, and continued to own the house (and probably live there) in 1956, when she had repairs made to the cornice over the front stairs.

By 1964, 39 Commonwealth was owned by Dr. Edward J. Baldi.  In February of 1964, he converted the house from a single-family dwelling into seven apartments.

On March 29, 1968, the roof and top story were damaged by the fire that destroyed the First and Second Church at the corner of Marlborough and Berkeley Streets.

The property subsequently changed hands and, in 1975, the owner at that time changed the legal occupancy from seven to nine apartments, noting that "this was an existing condition when current owner purchased building." 

In 1976, a new owner received permission to add a one-car garage, built into the rear ell added in 1917 by Katherine Bullard.  And in 1983, the owner reduced the number of apartments from nine to eight.