Larz Anderson Park, Brookline
The Larz Anderson estate was once the summer home for Larz and Isabel Anderson, Boston socialites who married in 1897 and inherited her father's fortune and estate. They named the 64-acre property Weld, after her grandfather who originally settled the property and built a shipping and mercantile empire. When Isabel inherited the fortune at age 5, she became the wealthiest woman in the world.
From their travels the Andersons created a summer residence equal to that of any great estate in the world. At its height in the early-1900s, it featured cultural gardens, theaters, ponds, sculptures, a large residence, and an equally large carriage-house to store their cars and horses.
When Isabel passed away in 1948 the estate was donated to the Town of Brookline. Today, the original lands are intact and nearly un-developed from the time of the Andersons. It's a treasure to find in the outskirts of Boston. But the upkeep and maintenance has lagged in recent times and much of what made this a treasure has been destroyed or removed. The original home is gone. The open space is still here but the manicured grounds have become overgrown. The water garden (pond) is still a beautiful setting but the water itself is filthy and oily (runoff outlets can be seen in my photos, indicating that this pond is more of a basin).
There are some well-preserved sections of the property that merit praise and adoration: the former carriage-house is now the Museum of Transportation and houses 14 of the original Anderson cars as well as other automotive artifacts, and the Japanese garden on the edge of the property is lovingly maintained by volunteers.
The estate sits in a sort of suspension - neglected but not abandoned, partially in ruins, partially in restoration. I see the enormous potential of this site in commercial purposes. But I also understand what little has been done deserves enormous praise and encouragement. Perhaps one day Brookline can fully realize the huge potential of this property.
Read MoreFrom their travels the Andersons created a summer residence equal to that of any great estate in the world. At its height in the early-1900s, it featured cultural gardens, theaters, ponds, sculptures, a large residence, and an equally large carriage-house to store their cars and horses.
When Isabel passed away in 1948 the estate was donated to the Town of Brookline. Today, the original lands are intact and nearly un-developed from the time of the Andersons. It's a treasure to find in the outskirts of Boston. But the upkeep and maintenance has lagged in recent times and much of what made this a treasure has been destroyed or removed. The original home is gone. The open space is still here but the manicured grounds have become overgrown. The water garden (pond) is still a beautiful setting but the water itself is filthy and oily (runoff outlets can be seen in my photos, indicating that this pond is more of a basin).
There are some well-preserved sections of the property that merit praise and adoration: the former carriage-house is now the Museum of Transportation and houses 14 of the original Anderson cars as well as other automotive artifacts, and the Japanese garden on the edge of the property is lovingly maintained by volunteers.
The estate sits in a sort of suspension - neglected but not abandoned, partially in ruins, partially in restoration. I see the enormous potential of this site in commercial purposes. But I also understand what little has been done deserves enormous praise and encouragement. Perhaps one day Brookline can fully realize the huge potential of this property.
