United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Berkshire County -- Stockbridge
Old Place, The (Stockbridge, Massachusetts)
Scope and Contents:
30 digital images (2016-2017) and 1 file folder.
General:
Historically significant, at the original center of the 18th century Mission town that became Stockbridge, the property has been owned by only four families in 325 years. Henry Williams Dwight originally bought the property in 1793. The approx. 4-acre garden, with long, protected views to Monument Mountain, has been shaped by the current owner since 1956. It has magnificent trees and extensive, varied flower and shrub beds in formal and informal settings. The maturity of the garden is exemplified by the large trees mostly evergreens, providing a privacy screen on three sides with an expansive lawn on the fourth side providing long views to Monument Mountain. These now mature specimens were planted in the late 1950s to replace American elm trees. The garden has elements of both classical and contemporary gardening and provides year-round interest.
The home's front entrance, with a circular driveway, dates to 1910 when the house was moved back from the road by the then owner, Emily Tuckerman. Tuckerman changed the exterior from clapboard to stucco, which now provides a background for climbing vines. A hemlock hedge separates the driveway from the rear garden. Beyond the hedge, on the eastern side of the lawn are mature, curving beds, double dug by homeowner in the 1970s, featuring multi-stemmed white birch and flowering shrubs under planted with perennials and ground covers. Tucked between the beds and the boundary trees is a historic cabin, which was documented by an 1876 town map. It has been restored a few times. First, by the owner's brother-in-law to create a studio, then by her husband to use as a writing retreat and last year by the owner, who added a screened porch. Aligned with the screened porch is an allée of boxwood, edging a grass path and leading to a gazebo. It is also seen on the 1927 plan and was most likely introduced by Emily Tuckerman, who was consistent with Italianate landscaping principles promoted by her friend Edith Wharton. Nearby is a children's playhouse and a pet cemetery. The boxwood hedge was planted in 2014 to replace ancient, straggling, tall yews. Before a house expansion in the late 1990s, the yew hedge came right up to the house and made the seating area rather dark. Now a sunny terrace, edged with flower beds and planters, has been created in the space between the old and new wings of the house. The box allée stops at the edge of the terrace, but the visual link to the house is maintained by stepping stones. The swimming pool installed around 1955 is surrounded by lawn. The whole area is enclosed by a fence on the southern side, paralleling the allée, and walls on the other three sides. Along each wall are summer-flowering beds that edge the lawn. Where there was once an expensive-to-run greenhouse, now there is a partially walled and fenced area, with raised beds for cutting flowers and vegetables.
Persons associated with the garden include: Names (role and dates of ownership/involvement). Example: Henry Williams Dwight and his descendants (former owner, 1783-1909 ); Emily Tuckerman and her descendant (former owner, 1909-1925 ); Annie L. Purcell (former owner, 1925-1931); John Barry and Nina Ryan (former owner, 1931-1947); William Hillard and Donald Ryan (former owner, 1947-1956).
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Massachusetts -- Stockbridge Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
