By Diana Coldren
Imagine walking down a street where history whispers through every brick and window. That’s Beacon Hill, and there’s one man’s enduring legacy that shapes its charm: Cornelius Coolidge (1778-1843).
Coolidge was a Beacon Hill resident, merchant, speculator, building contractor, and architect in the first third of the 19th century. A Harvard-educated visionary architect, Coolidge designed over 50 stunning Federal Style homes on Beacon Hill, including the entire western side of West Cedar Street between Chestnut and Mount Vernon streets in 1827. According to the Massachusetts Historical Commission, “This harmonious block ranks among the most extensive and earliest extant town house rows in Boston.”
The character of this late Federal-style block of homes has been retained for nearly 200 years, The gracious features of these late Federal-style brick houses include arched portals with brownstone keystone arched borders, front doors surmounted by semi-circular fanlights and symmetrical double-hung, six-over-six, wood-sash windows. Many of these homes include floor to ceiling windows on the piano nobile floor that overlook private gardens. Each house has a convenient back door from the garden to Cedar Lane Way providing easy access for residents and deliveries.
Numbers 3, 4, and 16 West Cedar have full height ceilings on the top level due to slated Mansard roofs. Classic details with intricate detailing, untouched for nearly two centuries, still captivate homeowners today.
Diana Coldren is a 25-year resident of Beacon Hill and a real estate agent with the Cort Petrocelli Coopersmith team with Compass.