The developers of this property took fine advantage of the site’s complex topography to maximize both picturesque and utilitarian qualities. The building’s almost pyramidal massing rises in stepped-back stages from its hilltop pedestal and the use of rusticated brick, unevenly edges weatherboard, and slate reinforce the angularity of the Tudor Revival house, which bears more than a passing resemblance to Salem’s House of the Seven Gables. The downhill side of the lot, to the east, was nicely exploited to provide access to a garage located at the basement level. Mr. Swanson was a steel-products dealer who owned his own firm.
— 2012 Festival of Historic Houses Guidebook
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