Dedham Community House
The Dedham Community House is a house on the banks of the Charles River in Dedham, Massachusetts owned and operated by the Dedham Community Association.[1]
Haven house[edit]
It was originally built in 1798 for Judge Samuel Haven and designed by Charles Bulfinch.[2][1] The land was once owned by Haven's father, Jason Haven, and maternal grandfather, Samuel Dexter.[3] It was noted as one of the most hospitable houses of the day in Massachusetts.[3] The Havens entertained many distinguished guests, including Richard Henry Dana Sr., Elizabeth Peabody, Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife, Horace Mann and his wife, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., Washington Allston and his wife, Charles Folsom and his wife, Judge Theron Metcalf and his wife,[3] and Abraham Lincoln.[2][1] The house is mentioned in The Life of Nathaniel Hawthorne by Julian Hawthorne.[3]
The rooms on the first floor feature high ceilings, long French windows, tiled fireplaces, carved mahogany mantles and moldings, and original chandeliers.[4] A curved staircase leads to a second floor with smaller chamber rooms.[4]
After the Havens, the house was owned by Freeman Fisher.[5][a]
Community House[edit]
In 1922 it was purchased by Charles J. Kimball and a group of civic-minded citizens for use as a community center.[4][2] Today the Community House is dedicated to "advancing the educational, recreational, cultural and civic interests of residents of all ages of Dedham and surrounding communities."[4] They offer a pre-school, summer camp, and a variety of classes and workshops throughout the year for all ages.[4][1] In 1924, the House hosted six weeks of supervised play for children during the summer months.[6] The program was expanded and moved to the various neighborhoods of town the following summer.[6]
In 2017, a grant from the Foundation for MetroWest paid to refurbish the 27 windows of the building.[1] As part of that project, old cupboards and cabinets were discovered after having previously been painted shut.[1] The house was shown in the 2014 film The Judge.[7]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Freeman was the brother of Alvan Fisher. He had three sons, Henry, Edward, and William. In the back yard was a garden engine that was similar to a contemporary fire engine. The family later moved to a home on the old Mechanics Building property.[5]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f "Dedham Community House Refurbishes Haven House Windows, Thanks to Foundation for MetroWest for Generous Support". The Dedham Times. October 6, 2017. p. 8.
- ^ a b c "Historic Dedham Village: A self-guided walking tour". Dedham Historical Society and Dedham Square Circle. Archived from the original (pdf) on January 26, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Pierce, Frederick Clifton (1899). Foster Genealogy. Press o W.B. Conkey Company. p. 938. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "History and Mission". Dedham Community House. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
- ^ a b Clarke 1903, p. 15.
- ^ a b Smith 1936, p. 134.
- ^ Eisenstadter, Dave (July 11, 2013). "Dedham welcomes Robert Downey Jr. for movie filming". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2014-11-08.
Works cited[edit]
- Smith, Frank (1936). A History of Dedham, Massachusetts. Transcript Press, Incorporated. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- Clarke, Wm. Horatio (1903). Mid-Century Memories of Dedham. Dedham Historical Society.
42°14′58″N 71°10′36″W / 42.24946°N 71.17676°WCoordinates: 42°14′58″N 71°10′36″W / 42.24946°N 71.17676°W
