A Walk through the 19th Century

Immerse yourself in 19th-century American history at one of Boston’s best preserved historic homes. Photo by the Colonial Dames of Massachusetts

At first glance, the William Hickling Prescott House looks like any other grand Federal red-brick townhouse that borders the Boston Common. There are the telltale iron balconies and black shutters, as well as an American flag. But this is no ordinary Beacon Hill mansion: it is the preserved home of 19th-century historian William Hickling Prescott, often referred to as the nation’s first scientific historian.

Prescott (1795-1859) was one of the country’s most respected intellects, the author of iconic books about Spain and Mexico. He is considered a key figure in the development of history as a rigorous discipline and was one of the first to draw upon archives that allowed him to accurately re-create political and military events in such seminal works as The History of the Conquest of Mexico (1843) and A History of the Conquest of Peru (1847). His residence, now owned by the Massachusetts chapter of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA), is open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the summer, offering visitors a fascinating glimpse of life in Boston among the city’s affluent 19th-century elite. Tours led by members of the Colonial Dames are given hourly from 12:15 to 3:15 p.m.

The mansion and the house next door were designed by architect Asher Benjamin in 1808 for a Boston merchant and have a storied history. Constructed on land that once belonged to John Singleton Copley, America’s most famous Colonial portraitist, the residence at 55 Beacon Street was purchased in 1845 by Prescott, already a widely translated historian and author of the first English language books about the Spanish Empire. He wrote his last completed book, A History of the Conquest of Peru (1847), and his final, incomplete book, History of the Reign of Philip II, in the house, where he lived until his death in 1859.

The house remained in the Prescott family until the 1940s. In 1944, the Colonial Dames, a nonprofit organization of approximately 400 women committed to preserving the integrity of historic properties and educating the public about early American history, purchased and restored the mansion, and in 1964 it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The five-and-a-half-story residence, decorated with elegant chandeliers, mirrors, furniture, and decorative arts, including Chinese porcelain and English ceramics donated by the Colonial Dames, is the headquarters for the Massachusetts NSCDA chapter. Prescott descendants recently gave the family’s Babcock piano from the 1800s, and while most of the items on display are not direct Prescott family heirlooms, all of the furniture and decor is in keeping with early to mid 19th-century interior design trends. Visitors can see Prescott’s renovations, such as a rear addition housing his extensive library and the restored third floor study where he wrote his last two books.

Portions of the Colonial Dames’ significant costume collection—dresses, fans, shoes, parasols, and children’s clothing dating from the 18th through 20th centuries—are displayed in the house.

The Prescott House is one of three historically significant houses owned by the Colonial Dames of Massachusetts. The others are the Quincy Homestead in Quincy, Mass., and the Martin House Farm in Swansea, Mass.

Colonial Dames board member Melissa Thorndike organizes the tours and is passionate about sharing the history of the home with visitors. “It is a rare opportunity to visit a house that has been in use from 1808 to today,” Thorndike says. “It’s interesting that we have a direct timeline from just after the Revolution to today.”

The William Hickling Prescott House, 55 Beacon St., Boston, is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from May through September and on Saturdays only in October, from noon to 4 p.m.; tours run hourly from 12:15 to 3:15 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, and free for children under 12 and active military personnel and their families. Check the website or call 617-742-3190 for more information. Take any MBTA Green Line trolley to Arlington or Park Street.

Liz Vanderau can be reached at vanderau@bu.edu.