Ashmont Hill ~ A Dorchester Neighborhood ~ Part 2

"Hey Bob, it's Sunday afternoon in Ashmont Hill.  Maybe we should ride over there and see if there are any "Open Houses".  Although it was really fun the other day strolling the streets of Wells, Ocean, Harley and Alban, maybe we could actually get inside one of these Victorians."

"But Fran, we aren't dressed properly.  We don't look like we would be prospective buyers".

"Bob, how many times have I told you.  The rich don't dress up, they dress down.  You look perfect to play the part of a wealthy widow.  Or heck, this is Massachusetts, we could be an artistic, gay couple looking for our first home."

Without further ado, we left the Quincy Medical Center in the late afternoon and rode over to Ashmont Hill.



Ashmont Hill is a neighborhood in Dorchester settled in the 1790's.  Until the late 19th century, it consisted of several large farms.  With the advent of the streetcar in 1872, Dorchester became accessible to the affluent businessmen of Boston.  Architects, such as Arthur H. Vinal, L.Underwood, Poe Newcomb and George Meacham ( designer of Boston's Public Garden) designed unusually stylish and substantial suburban homes.  Ashmont Hill, like Moville Avenue and Wellesley Park is noted for it's Victorian architecture.  Besides the Queen Anne style, one finds Colonial Revival, Italianate Mansards and Shingle and Stick.  Let's go strolling once more in this beautiful neighborhood.

Passing my favorite Italianate Mansards on Wells Street, we turned up Ocean Street and parked the car.





Strolling down Ocean Street, we are completely amazed at all the varied styles.  I fell in love with the opulent ornamental Queen Anne style house at 47 Ocean Street.  Although I could never see myself living in this house, I liked the rich, florid high relief plaster detail on the panels of the second floor.



The high relief plaster on this Queen Anne encompasses medallions, swags, swirling leaves and heraldic shield-like motifs.  The bowed corners, the angled bays overhanging porches and the deeply recessed porches within the attic facades of the intersecting gable roof makes this house unique and most pleasing to the eye.  Wouldn't this make just the perfect house for Rapunzel?

Across the way and down the street at 60 Ocean Street is a wonderful example of a Shingle Style home.  This house was designed by one of Boston's leading arctitect, Edwin J. Lewis, Jr.





                    Somehow or another the "flaring eaves" of this  home reminds me of a ship at sea.






Across the street on Roslin Street is one of the oldest houses, if not the oldest house on Ashmont Hill.  This Italianate Home has a full lengeth Colonial Revival porch with Tuscan columns  and turned, Georgian Revival balusters.


Slipping in the back, I found the old stable barn renovated and now housing a family.  I think I would feel right at home in this barn! 


Next door is an exuberant example of a towered Queen Anne House.  Though boxy, this house is a 2-bay, two pile rectangular structure made asymmetrical by its three story tower with bell-shaped, finial topped roof cap.


Particularly noteworthy is its front porch with turned posts, spandrel brackets and center roof pediment which contains a fountain and leafy curving vines carved in high relief. 


Picturesquely projecting from the east wall is a small porch (perfect for a sunny morning breakfast in the summer) with a wealth of well-turned spindle work.  Rising from the main facade's gable roof slope is a double dormer with typically Queen Anne sunburst motif carved within the pediment.





Down the street from the Queen Anne, Fran and I see our first "Open House".


Though not as ornate as some on Roslin, this is our chance to take a peek inside one of these Victorian masterpieces.



We are greeted by a young woman with an Irish brogue.  She is most happy to show us the house.  As we walk around, she gives us the history of the home.  The owner is an older lady who now resides in a nursing home in Duxbury.





















Leaving Roslin Street once our curiosity was well saturated, we head up to Alban Street.  There are many fine houses on Alban Street, one being my favorite.







Don't you just love the sun porch on this home.  I was ready to pack up and move in when Fran noticed an "Open House" sign up the street. 

"I think it's condos, Bob, but let's see if we can get a peek inside."








Actually it was a grand old Victorian with a separate Carriage House....and yes, it was meticulously renovated into three lovely condominiums.  Not my style, but then again, I don't have to live there.  Come take a peek inside with us.



The realtor was kind of a butt-head, but Fran kept him busy while I wandered around. 



Definitely too modern for me!




  A little sterile, wouldn't you say?







By the time we finished the tour, it was getting late and so we headed home.  It was an extremely interesting afternoon....some of it spent dreaming what it must have been like to live in the late 19th century on Ashmont Hill.