Henry A. Whitney House and Stable
Blue Hill Av. corner of Robbins St.
Milton, Mass.
Year Built: 1869
Year Demolished: Unsure of Date
Charles Brigham designed a stable for Henry A. Whitney in 1869 and which was built in 1870. Brigham also made initial sketches for a house in 1870. The commission on the stable was $125 which means that it cost approximately $2,500 to build. It is unclear if the sketches of the house were ultimately used as shown above. The house has been demolished and it is unclear whether the stable survives.
Of the stable, Sturgis wrote that he did not like the arches that Brigham put in the wood work and recommended that Brigham change the “middle window” to look like the others or to put a hood on it. Additionally, he suggested that Brigham move the square sashes to the dormers and to run battens over the door of the hay loft.
Of the house, Brigham wrote to Sturgis on August 3, 1870,
“Mr. Whitney will not commence this autumn upon his house. My approximate estimate was $60,000 at which he was not at all surprised, but having become quite certain that the plan and general arrangement were just as he wanted, he does not care to modify and cheapen for the sake of building within such a sum as he might feel it proper to (?) as his limit this year and he prefers to postpone till at least another season when he is confident of being willing to pay for what he really wants. In this he shows as always his good common sense. I have no doubt however that his house will be a part of our next year’s business.”
Brigham wrote later in the month, with Sturgis’ return from a four-year stay in England, imminent:
“The Whitney house plans are dropped for the present, so you will have the opportunity of helping to relieve me of the responsibility in an undertaking which will probably be the best we have ever had to deal with.”
Brigham had worked with Whitney in 1868 on a minor renovation to his town house at 102 Beacon Street in Boston.
References
• Milton Architecture, Anthony Mitchell Sammarco.
• History of Milton, Mass. 1640-1887, pp. 172-173.
• Letters from Charles Brigham to John Hubbard Sturgis, 10/8/1866, 5/4/1867, 5/29/1867, 6/10/1867, 11/26/1867, 5/4/1868, 6/22/1868, 9/30/1868, 10/18/1869, 11/2/1869, 12/3/1869, 12/24/1869, 2/4/1870, 5/18/1870, 6/21/1870, 8/3/1870, 8/23/1870 and 1/1871, Sturgis Papers, Boston Athenaeum Library.
• Sturgis Diary, December 18, 1869, p. 43.
• John Hubbard Sturgis Cash Book, 1/1/1871 – 12/31/1872, December 13, 1871 entry under “Sturgis & Brigham,” deposit of $500 by H.A. Whitney. Disbursements under “Sturgis & Brigham” to J.J. Shaw for Whitney (carpenter from Jamaica Plain) on 1/5/1871 ($500) and 2/11/1871 ($400) and for Whitney (no carpenter noted) on 1/28/1871 ($200).
Images
ca. 1885
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