Notes from Brookline Preservation Commission research day

Note from Photos of articles, etc. 

December 1988: $1 million in renewal funds made available to park…still not enough to cover cost of restoring/maintaining entire park
1960s: City hired planning firm (Everett & Untermann) to develop long range plan for park

“Are we going to be stewards of that heritage or are we going to continue to see Larz Anderson merely as an undeveloped parcel of available “unused” land?” -Mary Dewart 1988

1948- Town received property
“The town must have seen the mansion at the top of the hill as nothing more than an extravagant white elephant.” -MD’88

MD was president of Brookline Greenspace Alliance at the time (1988)

Laundry House 1916-1917

1964 Greenhouse still standing but without round structure; many of out buildings still standing

Japanese Garden 1907

Rond Point 1910-1916

Chinese Pergola 1910

1940’s Recreational Movement sweeping the nation…Brookline Parks Department followed suite…disregard for Preservation and focus on recreation

1985 Listed on National Register

1989 was when Preservation projects finally began and stone, masonry, and landscaping began around pond, temple, and bridges


1988: “Larz Anderson can become a showplace, an example of the integration of a town and citizen, historical and recreational needs. In the past, things have been done expeditiously, and done badly. Let’s take a deep breath, look around, and do a better job than we’ve done in the past”. Michael Berger, Greenspace Alliance president


June 23rd 1990? 1991? Park officially opens to public again

1897 Isabel & Larz marry

1887 House build on estate for William Weld II (isabel’s cousin)

1889 Isabel bought mansion and accompanying land
1899 -1948 Andersons transformed the property into elegant and elaborate estate with international reputation

July 1907 Invited public to grounds of Weld

Larz died 1937
Isabel died 1948

“unfortunately most of the extensive and elaborate estate has been destroyed, obscured, and neglected over time. We get hints of the estate’s intriguing character by studying fragments left behind”

**OLDER AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH WAS IN 1930s!!**

Mansion addition 1914, all designed by Larz, modeled after Lulworth Castle on British Channel

Late 1960’s skating rink

Notes from copied documents: Mary Dewart, Richard Kenworthy, Skip Moskey

Larz as ambassador:
England (1891-1894)
Italy (1894-1897)
Belgium (1911-1912)
Japan (1912-1913)

The last garden made at Weld was a Jekyllesque Blue garden composed of blue and lavender annuals and perennial, all surrounded by a hedge of lilacs. Isabel planned this space as a vantage point for viewing the sunsets. Build in 1937 to the west of the house (Chinese sculpture) after Larz’s death

 “each garden served as a personal reminder of travels and collectively associated them with the accomplishments of the great world civilizations.”

“between 1914 and 1916 the original native stones, brick, and wooden shingles of the house were stuccoed over and a new three-story Italianate facade was added at the garden (south) side of the residence.” addition done by Little and Brown

paired herms

Isabel’s play “Witch of the Woods” 1925 a children's play which counseled environmental responsibility

1913 imported many (most) of the bonsai trees

Water Garden was last major feature to be added to Estate

Rond point: a circular low-walled enclosure with statues and a fountain hidden among the trees

Gnomes’ Woodland Garden 1917 refurbished 1928; existed between Italian garden and kitchen garden

Rose Garden; Fox & Gale

Albert Sullivan- Gardner who dictated content of hand drawn map (Mary Dewart drew map?)