Reginald A. Fessenden House
- Year
- 1919
- Style
- Spanish Colonial Revival
- City
- Boston, MA
This Chestnut Hill house in Newton was the residence, from 1919 until his death in 1932, of Reginald A. Fessenden, the inventor known as "the father of radio broadcasting" for being the first to broadcast the human voice and music by radio. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976 in recognition of his accomplishments.
the building
Modest house, major tenant. The three-story brick house has a stuccoed exterior, tile roof, and vernacular styling — a hooded entry, a large central chimney, and asymmetrical massing — around a central-hall plan interior. Both exterior and interior remain relatively unaltered since Fessenden's ownership, with the addition of awnings on some east-facing windows the only notable change.
the style
Spanish Eclectic in its stuccoed walls and tile roof, though the National Historic Landmark designation cites the building's association with Fessenden rather than any architectural distinction.
More on Spanish Colonial Revivalsignificance
Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, for its role as the home of radio pioneer Reginald A. Fessenden during his final years.