by Another historic house tour for us, this time Gore Place in Waltham, Massachusetts. The 1806 Federal-style mansion was built as a summer home for Christopher Gore (1758–1827) and his family. Gore was a lawyer and politician who entertained the likes of the Marquis de Lafayette, Daniel Webster, John Quincy Adams, and James Monroe. Gore went on to serve a term as the Governor of Massachusetts. After that he served in the United States Senate for a few years, resigning in 1816 due to ill health.
Gore made a fortune speculating in American Revolutionary War debt in the 1780s. He also increased his fortunes by marrying well, for the funds used from Rebecca Amory Payne’s dowry are what purchased the 50 acres on which the mansion was built. As their wealth increased, the estate was expanded to 400 acres, and the original home was torn down and replaced.
While on an extended tour of Europe, they learned their newly built home burned in a fire. No worries, they could use their time in Europe to gather architectural ideas and make decorative decisions and purchases.
Construction on the home cost $23,000, which Google says is about $600,000 today, so it was not too extravagant, all things considered.
The house has a large central area, with narrow “hyphens” extending from either side, making it 190 feet in length. The central section is 2.5 stories, with the wings coming in at 1.5 stories. Walking through the upper floors inside takes you on a rambling up/down path; you can not simply walk directly from one end of the house to the other!
The Gores occupied the home until 1834, at which time it was purchased by Theodore Lyman, Jr., son of the owner of the Lyman Estate we had toured. The contents of the property were auctioned off, as specified in their will, as the couple had no children. The home was sold several times, until acquired in 1921 by a country club. The country club failed during the Great Depression, and the estate fell into disrepair. When the bank planned to sell off the property for development, preservationists stepped up to save the mansion and 75 acres. Most of the furniture in the home is “of the period,” though some are original to the Gore family.
One bit of interesting history can be found in Gore’s “manservant” Robert Roberts (circa 1780-1860). In 1827 he became the first Black author to be commercially published in America with his book The House Servant’s Directory. The book was a “how-to” manual for manservants, but it also served to educate the social elite on what their expectations should be of their servants. “He sought to elevate the servant and the servant job in the eyes of society by showing the skills, intelligence, and even artistry, the work required.” The book was quite popular, with two editions following. Roberts was also a social activist, working to end “slavery and for full citizenship and equal rights for free Black people.”
