Boylston Villa

73 Worcester Road, Princeton, Massachusetts

Built in 1819 as a summer home for Ward Nicholas Boylston (1747-1828) and his second wife Alicia Darrow (1763-1843). He was the first American to visit Smyrna, Baalbek, Jerusalem and Cairo. He lived in London from 1775 to 1800 and on retuning to America built this villa on the estate he inherited in 1804 from his uncle, the Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts, Moses Gill. It was designed by Asher Benjamin, an architect then in the employ of Charles Bulfinch who also built the Asa Waters Mansion in Millbury among others. Ward Boylston was said to have lived here in "princely style" and it was here in 1825 that Gilbert Stuart painted his portrait....

2 images

This house is best associated with...

Ward Nicholas Boylston

Ward (Hallowell) Nicholas Boylston, of Boston & London; Benefactor of Harvard

1747-1828

Alicia (Darrow) Boylston

Mrs "Alice" (Darrow) Boylston

1763-1843

Dr. Ward Nicholas Boylston

Dr. Ward Nicholas Boylston M.D., of "Boylston Villa" Princeton, Massachusetts

1815-1870

After his widow, Alicia, died in 1843, the estate passed into the possession of Ward's grandson, Dr. Ward Nicholas Boylston who then practising medicine in Boston. The year after coming into his inheritance, the doctor quit his career and settled here: "He resided in Princeton the rest of his life, enjoying and improving (1853) the beautiful landed property he inherited". The eight-seater, two-door octagonal outhouse can also still be seen on the property which survives today on 6-acres of land.