Adjacent to the Warren House (last post) on Beacon Street in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, this massive mansion is one of my favorites on the street. Built in 1905, and designed by architect Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow, Jr. an amazing local architect, and nephew of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The grand mansion was the home of Eben Sumner Draper and his wife, Nancy. Eben Draper was a manufacturer of cotton machinery in the Draper Corporation, founded by his father in Hopedale, MA. Draper graduated from MIT and entered his fathers business, which upon the time of his graduation, was the largest plant for manufacturing cotton machinery in the world. In 1905, Draper was nominated and elected as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, the same year he had this mansion constructed. In 1908, Draper was elected Governor, and served two terms under the Republican Party, pushing a pro-business, and anti-reform agenda, a bill legalizing the merger of the Boston and Maine Railroad with the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, signaling approval of what was seen as monopolistic business practices, something the Draper Corporation was known for in Hopedale. The former single-family home was converted to six condominium units in 2000. Fun fact: the Draper Mansion replaced the 1860 home David Stewart, a merchant from New York, built as a wedding present for his daughter, Isabella Stewart, and John (Jack) Lowell Gardner. Isabella would later create the beloved and iconic Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The couple purchased the adjacent townhome in 1880 to store their growing art collection.
Governor Draper’s Residence is Burned
Beautiful Beacon Street Home Scene of $200,000 Blaze Early Today
Two Firemen Injured
October 5, 1909 – Fire which broke out at 5 o’clock this morning completely destroyed the magnificent winter residence of Gov. Eben S. Draper, at 150 Beacon Street, Boston, causing a property loss of fully $200,000.
The cause of the conflagration is unknown, as the house had been closed all summer and there had been nobody there since 5 o’clock last evening when the workmen who were putting the mansion into shape for occupancy quit.
The fire had evidently been burning several hours before the firemen arrived, and when the flames did break out they made a spectacular fire that could be seen for miles around, and threatened at one time to spread to other residences close by.
Gov. Draper was at his home in Hopedale last night, but left for Boston at 6:15 this morning in his auto when a message arrived that his new home was in flames and likely to be destroyed.
Mrs. Draper is at present in Paris with her daughter, and does not yet know of the disaster that has befallen her beautiful home which was rated among the most palatial of the many Boston residences.
Ladderman George Waggett, of the Boston Fire Department was overcome by smoke while on duty in the building, and fell two stories through a broken balustrade, but escaped death, being rushed to the Boston City Hospital. District Chief Daniel Sennott, in charge of the work on the burning house, was also overcome and had to be helped from the building by his men.
Miss Elizabeth Gillis, employed as a maid at 152 Beacon Street, next door to the Governor’s house, discovered the fire. She was awakened by the crackling of the flames, went to the rear of the house, and opened a window, when a sheet of flame burst from a window on the lower floor of the Governor’s house. She telephoned to fire headquarters and engines 23 and 10 were dispatched to the house on a still alarm. When those two fire companies arrived the two lower floors and the basement of the house were in flames that were just beginning to eat their way into the third floor.
The firemen opened the front door and a sheet of flames swept them off the steps.
An alarm was sounded from box 63, followed a minute later by a second alarm. Chief Mullin arrived with the apparatus on the second alarm and immediately took command of the firemen.
By this time the flames had made their way from the cellar to the roof through the center of the hose and spread out over every floor. Flames were bursting from all the windows, sending glass into the streets in showers. Inside, the building was a seething furnace, and the firemen were unable to get near the front door owing to the intense heat.
Extension ladders were raised and a dozen or more lines of hose were played on the fire, pouring immense quantities of water into the building. It was some time however before the firemen were able to force their way into the ground floor.
The big reception room, fitted with the most costly furnishings, was a whirlpool of fire, and the smoke was so dense the firemen could not grope their way. It was here that Sennott was overcome.
Daggett was hurt when the firemen reached the third floor by the great staircase that rises from the reception hall. It is feared that he is internally injured
The fire had eaten away the stairs leading to the fourth floor and was raging fiercely at this point. The firemen were forced to make the attempt to fight it from the outside.
Four firemen were placed on the narrow stone coping which runs along the building on the fourth floor, and with their clothing steaming from the heat and their faces blistered they hovered between life and death for three-quarters of an hour, fighting the flames. Other firemen from the inside, unconscious of the fact that the quartet were on the coping outside, sent streams of water through the windows, nearly knocking Ladderman Goodfellow to the ground.
The four firemen were loudly applauded and were later commended by Chief Mullen for their bravery. State Fire Marshall S.D. Smith of Boston is investigating the fire’s origin. Inquiry developed the fact that carpenters and painters had been in the house for several days in charge of caretakers, who swear that everything was in proper order at 7 o’clock when they left the building
Governor Draper arrived at Boston at 7:45 o’clock this morning, but the damage had all been don then. He did not return here but will remain at the Parker House tonight.
A short circuit of the wires inside the residence is now believed to have caused the fire, which did the most damage on the third floor. The flames did not reach the roof, and the basemen damage is only by water, but the contents of the mansion are all destroyed and the huge steel girders of the building are so bend and twisted that it is thought the loss is total and all must be torn down.
The Governor’s residence was built only a little more than a year ago and was furnished with the greatest care. The art treasures and the personal belongings of the Governor and his family can never be replaced. The property was insured, but no figures were obtainable today, and officials of the Draper Co. stating that the loss will exceed $200,000. Milford Daily News, October 5, 1909.