Albert Manchester, builder
Frances Ballou acquired this lot in 1890 with the hopes of one day building a house. Four years later, the permits were granted, and construction commenced soon after. Her husband, Henry Ballou, was an executive of Ballou, Johnson, and Nichols – wholesale dealers of woodcraft, crockery, and glassware – located in Shakespeare Hall on Dorrance Street. The couple’s large, comfortable house contains some of the finest woodwork in the neighborhood.
What makes this house unique is its blend of Queen Anne details with a Colonial Revival layout. Visitors access the house via an entrance turned perpendicular to the street. The center-hall, four-room plan is typical of Colonial Revival, but the details throughout as well as the exterior are in keeping with the spirit of Queen Anne.
The house was carved into small one-room and two-room apartments only 30 years after it had been constructed. It fell into disrepair until it was purchased by the current owners in the late 1980s, when extensive restoration and rehabilitation efforts were undertaken to bring the house back to its original layout. Like 55 and 67 Princeton, this house enjoys an expansive back yard with beautifully maintained gardens encompassing the adjoining lots.
— Festival of Historic Houses Guidebook, 2017
Share your Story
Something to add? An edit or correction to suggest? Community input about the history of these important places is welcome. All submissions are reviewed before posting.