Ashmont Hill ~ A Dorchester Neighborhood ~ Part 1

In July, while Mom was at the Quincy Medical Center, Fran and I would go over to Dorchester and stroll around the various neighborhoods with the intent of doing photo/essays on the beautiful Victorian homes built in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Although I completed essays on Wellesley Park and Melville Avenue, real life interrupted and I never found the time to take you to Ashmont Hill, another old Dorchester neighborhood.  Looking at my images in my photo library this week-end, I thought it would be fun to take you on a stroll through the neighborhood of my youth.












Few neighborhoods in Dorchester can match Ashmont Hill for sheer number of substantial, well crafted, well designed and well preserved late 19th century residences.  Street after street in this neighborhood is bordered by wood frame, mostly single family residences noteworthy for their originality and exuberance of design.  Exceptional examples of the Italianate/ Mansard, Stick, Shingle, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles appear at every turn.  Many of these houses, though varied in form, possess the unique vision of late 19th century architects, Edwin J. Lewis, Jr. and Harrison Henry Atwood among them.






The area's topography and street pattern reinforce its cohesiveness and visual appeal.  Sited on a gently sloping hill whose crest is along Ocean Street at the head of Roslin, many of the area's houses have views of Dorchester Bay and points west, north and south.




As you can see,  many of these houses are typical Queen Anne style houses that are characterized by a graceful play of carving and angled lines.  Many have encircling verandahs, gables, oriel windows and three story towers, some with porches.











































Another style of home in this neighborhood are the Italianate/Mansard 1.5 story residences.  I found two such examples on Wells Avenue.



This is the Mansard at 48 Wells Street.  Taking a closer look, I found the formal massing and stylish surface treatments incredibly noteworthy.  I think I would feel quite at home with the modest, cottage scale of this house.  I like the center entrance flanked by the flat window bay and the octagonal bay which is carried through the roof line as a tripartite dormer. 



It's mirror image at 52 Wells Street was under renovation last summer.  A new walkway and stairs were being built to its original front porch.  I really liked its towered center pavilion.




Both of these L-shaped houses feature wide corner boards, double doors set within segmental arches and straight-sided hip-on-mansard roofs.  Both retained their original slate shingles, the owner of #52 said in a conversation I had with him when he inquired what I was doing as I was focusing my camera.  I was hoping he might invite me inside, but luck wasn't with me this day.  He did tell me that I should go over to 16 Harley Street if I liked the Mansard style. 


This Mansard was built in 1874 and was part of the George D. Well's estate.  This L-shaped cottage style house has a full length front porch, a center entrance, polygonal bays with dentillated cornices. 


I was surprised by how large the side yard was...as well as by the fully restored adjacent stable.  Next door at 22 Harley Street is a full blown Queen Anne/Colonial Revival house with a highly irregular form complete with two story corner tower which is missing its conical roof cap.  I particularly liked the second floor porch on the front.  Fran and I decided that should we have a choice, I would pick the Mansard and she would live in the Queen Anne next door.  As you can see, we still play the games of our youth. 




Further down Harley Street I found this beautiful barn that I fell in love with...it reminded me of a time long ago when horse and carriage was the means of transpotation in this neighborhood.




The barn is being renovated.  I can't wait to go back next summer and see the restoration.


Thanks for coming along on a stroll on Ashmont Hill.  In Part II we will continue our tour and perhaps slip inside these graceful ladies at some "Open Houses".