2nd Annual Home & Hearth Tour Features Hidden Neighborhood
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Tucked away from busy Route 20 is the King Philip neighborhood, a hidden gem within Sudbury’s King Philip Historic District. The history of the neighborhood includes the story about the Battle of Green Hill which took place in Sudbury in 1676 during King Philip’s War. The Sudbury Historical Society featured this neighborhood for its second annual house tour on Saturday, May 21st. Six private homes, one municipal transportation building, and several businesses located in historic properties were included on the tour. These sites are considered some of the finest examples of period buildings in Sudbury.
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- Miriam L. Woodbury House (1916)
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- B&M Railroad Section House (1890)
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- Sudbury South Schoolhouse (1921)
“The tour was very successful, particularly because we were able to showcase an out-of-the-way neighborhood that many people didn’t know about,” explained Sudbury Historical Society Executive Director Sally Purrington Hild, “and the houses and businesses on the tour were within easy walking distance of each other.”
Featured homes included the Hunt House, Bogle Sisters House, Sudbury South Schoolhouse, Gideon Richardson House, R.D. Morse House, Miriam L. Woodbury House, as well as the Wood-Davison House which houses a commercial business, and the B&M Railroad Section House.
“The purpose behind the Tour,” Sally said, “was not just to focus on old buildings but to embrace how they have been upgraded to meet modern needs while still maintaining their history. It gives people ideas on how this can be done thoughtfully.”
“The nice thing was that the whole community got very involved in this Tour,” Sally added. ”The homeowners were very gracious, and we had an opportunity to involve the business owners nearby. Many of them provided refreshments. One of the businesses, Bearly Read Books, even offered a 20% discount on history books.”
One of the homes on the Tour was the South Schoolhouse which some tour goers had attended as students. Built in 1890, the B&M Railroad Section House, located a short walk from the other places on the Tour, drew a substantial number of visitors. Section houses were built to ensure maintenance of the railway’s tracks. People were excited to see inside since the House is rarely open. It is one of the last section houses still standing along the defunct Central Massachusetts branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad. The house includes an inspection car that crews used to maintain the tracks.
Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the Sudbury Historical Society and the project to build Sudbury’s future History Center & Museum at the Loring Parsonage. The Sudbury Historical Society’s mission is to collect, preserve, and promote Sudbury’s exceptional history.
“We are hoping that tour goers will spread the word about the work of the Society and what they have learned about the Loring Parsonage. Our goal is to get the word out about Sudbury history.” Sally noted.