The Belmont Woman’s Club has wrapped up its renovations to the William Flagg Homer House.
For more than 150 years, the house has lurked, at times spookily, on its Pleasant Street plot. For the last 99 years, the house has served as the home of the Belmont Woman’s Club. And for more than 10 years, the mansion has been undergoing a much-needed facelift.
Using Community Preservation Act money, the Woman’s Club fixed the cupola, the enclosed porch at the top of the house; replaced and fixed the windows, including the stained glass window; and painted the exterior of the building. The club received a total of roughly $300,000 from the Community Preservation Fund, which uses property tax surcharges and the state’s Community Preservation Trust Fund to, among other functions, restore historic buildings and land.
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According to Woman’s Club President Wendy Murphy, the black lead veining on the stained glass window was beginning to melt away, allowing sunlight in through the small gaps. Window frames were rotted out and needed to be replaced, and the sharp finial structure at the top of the cupola was badly damaged.
Big, Old Problems
The renovations represent a new chapter for the caretakers of the mansion.
“The house is gorgeous,” Murphy said. “I don’t think anyone would have said that 10 or 15 years ago. Some people even said back then, ‘Oh boy, maybe you should sell it and let someone tear it down.'”
That was never an option for Murphy. As she saw it, the house holds priceless history within its walls, from its architecture to its ties to the first families of Belmont to its connection with Winslow Homer, the renowned American painter.
The Woman’s Club had been playing “defense,” fixing what broke, but there were other necessary renovations to make, Murphy said.
“Big house, big problems,” she said. “Old house, old, big problems.”
Instead of bulldozing the house and starting over, Murphy worked with the Community Preservation Committee, the building department, utility companies, local painters, glass restorers, and others to repair the mansion. Since the work impacted the exterior of the house, which is located in the Pleasant Street Historic District of Belmont, the Woman’s Club consulted with the Historic District Commission to find an historically accurate paint color.
“More than proud [of the work on the house], we’re grateful” to those who helped, Murphy said. “What we want to do is make sure the public can come see it and enjoy it.”
The work wasn’t always easy. Unexpected challenges with the house and the contractors, receiving the required approval from town boards, and COVID all pushed back the timeline.
“There’s really nothing I understood about any of these projects until I tried it and did it and sat with people and said, ‘What do I need to do? What else should I do? What do you need me to fill out?'” Murphy said.
A History of Renovations
When the Woman’s Club bought the Homer House in 1927 — just seven years after the club was founded — members updated it, Murphy said. They added electricity, made plumbing upgrades, added light fixtures, and even a grand piano.
Around 20 years ago, the Woman’s Club signed over the plot of land to the town’s Land Trust. The club, however, still owns the building. They created a conservation restriction stating that no matter what happens to the house, the land can never be developed. The Land Trust has connections with those who care about the history and future of the house and are willing to donate, Murphy said. That has especially been the case as the renovations wrapped up.
“I think people are now feeling like this is a worthwhile investment,” Murphy said.
They also worked with the Junior League of Boston Show House project around a decade ago. The opportunity allowed designers to take over different rooms in the historic house and renovate them in accordance with the historic vision. After the designers completed their rooms, the Woman’s Club decided whether they wanted to keep the design or return back to the original. From these designers, the club received a caterer’s kitchen for free, something they would not have been able to afford otherwise.
More to Come
In the coming months, the club hopes to show off its new home through open hours and by fixing up the green space around the house, and potentially adding a few benches.
Next year, they also plan to celebrate 100 years at the Homer House by inviting descendants of the original house’s tenants and throwing a gala-style event.