Hartwell and Richardson was a Boston, Massachusetts architectural firm established in 1881, by Henry Walker Hartwell (1833–1919) and William Cummings Richardson (1854–1935). The firm contributed significantly to the current building stock and architecture of the greater Boston area. Many of its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
History Hartwell was the son of Boston painter Alonzo Hartwell. He did not attend college, and apprenticed with the architects Joseph E. and Hammatt Billings – (Billings & Billings). He opened his own office in 1856, and was one of the founding members of the Boston Society of Architects. He served in Company A of the 44th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry during the American Civil War.AIA obituary. In the late 1860s, he began a partnership with Albert E. Swasey, Jr. – Hartwell & Swasey – that lasted until 1877. He briefly paired with George Thomas Tilden, before beginning the partnership with Richardson.Vogel, p. 132.
Richardson, twenty years younger than Hartwell, studied architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He won the Boston Society of Architects' 1875 prize as best young architect, and worked on his own until the 1881 partnership. Richardson was the principal designer in the firm, and Hartwell took care of the engineering and oversaw construction.James F. O'Gorman, On the Boards: Drawings by Nineteenth-century Boston Architects (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1989), p. 111.
The firm's clients tended to be successful businessmen, rather than Boston "society." Early on, the firm specialized in churches and municipal buildings. First Baptist Church (1881) in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Town Hall (1881) in Belmont, Massachusetts, both completed in the first year of the partnership, probably were Hartwell's designs. Richardson's polychromy added lightness to Christ Church (1882) in Andover, Massachusetts and the First Spiritual Temple (1885) in Boston, Massachusetts. Even in informal styles such as the Queen Anne or Shingle-Style, that allowed for enormous freedom, Richardson's designs were conservative, sometimes even symmetrical, but beautifully detailed. Of particular note is a cluster of distinguished 1880s houses in the Avon Hill neighborhood of Cambridge.
The firm's grandest surviving house is "Osgood Hill" (1886), the Moses T. Stevens estate in North Andover, Massachusetts. Here, Richardson closely followed H. H. Richardson, for both the red-sandstone, Romanesque-Revival mansion and the rustic gatehouse. The 153-acre estate is now a wedding and conference center.The Stevens Estate
Two of the firm's churches offer a direct contrast: The Broadway Winter Hill Congregational Church (1890) in Somerville, Massachusetts is an informal, Shingle-Style composition. The Central Congregational Church (1895) in Newton, Massachusetts, composed of similar elements, is a more formal, Romanesque-Revival building, that would be symmetrical, absent the adjacent tower. Each probably reflected the wishes of the client, but they demonstrate that Richardson was accomplished in a range of styles.
In 1895, with the addition of English architect James Driver (1859–1923), the firm became Hartwell, Richardson and Driver, and continued under that name until Driver's retirement in 1921.Grove Encyclopedia, p. 464. The name reverted to Hartwell and Richardson, even though Hartwell had died in 1919, and the firm continued until Richardson's death in 1935.
In the 20th century, public schools and the occasional commercial building comprised much of the firm's output.O'Gorman, p. 111. At least six of their high school buildings have been converted into apartments or condominiums.
Hartwell and Richardson were both Fellows of the American Institute of Architects.Henry W. Hartwell from AIA Historical Directory.William C. Richardson from AIA Historical Directory. Driver was a member of the AIA.James Driver from AIA Historical Directory.
Selected works
Churches
First Baptist Church (1881), Cambridge, Massachusetts. NRHP-listed. Christ Church (1882), 29 Central Street, Andover, Massachusetts. A contributing property in Central Street District. First Spiritual Temple (1885), 26 Exeter Street, Boston, Massachusetts.First Spiritual Temple from Flickr. Became the Exeter Street Theatre. Broadway Winter Hill Congregational Church (1890), Somerville, Massachusetts. NRHP-listed. First Parish Congregational Church (1890, rebuilt after 1912 fire), Wakefield, Massachusetts.Congregational Church from CardCow. First Unitarian Church (1893), Belmont, Massachusetts.First Unitarian Church in Belmont Central Congregational Church (1895), Newton, Massachusetts. NRHP-listed. First Parish Church in Plymouth (1897–99), Plymouth, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver. Rockdale Congregational Church (1898–99), 42 Fowler Road, Northbridge, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver. First Unitarian Church, (1875–99), 130 Highland Avenue in Somerville, Massachusetts
Schools and libraries
Medford High School (1884–86), 48-64 Forest Street, Medford, Massachusetts. NRHP-listed. Now Old Medford High Condominiums. Draper Hall Dormitory (1888–90), Abbot Academy, Andover, Massachusetts.Draper Hall from CardCow. Abbot Academy merged with Phillips Academy. State Normal Art School (1889, demolished), 68 Devonshire Street, Boston, Massachusetts.Normal Art School from CardCow. Hartwell and Richardson had their offices in this building. Acton Memorial Library (1889–91), 486 Main Street, Acton, Massachusetts.Acton Memorial Library A contributing property in Acton Centre Historic District. Hancock School (1891), 33 Forest Street, Lexington, Massachusetts.Lexington Reconnaissance Report, Commonwealth of Massachusetts website NRHP-listed. Now Hancock Condominiums. Arlington High School (1893–94), 27 Maple Street, Arlington, Massachusetts.Arlington High School from CardCow. Now Arlington Senior Center. Wellesley High School (1894), 324 Washington Street, Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. NRHP-listed. Now Phillips Park Apartments for senior citizens. Hyde School (1895), Lincoln Street, Newton Highlands. Converted to condominiums after a fire in 1981. Somerville High School (1895-2021), 81 Highland Avenue, Somerville, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Somerville High School from CardCow. NRHP-listed. State Normal School (1898, demolished), Howe & Oak Streets, New Haven, Connecticut; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.New Haven State Normal School from Art Institute of Chicago. Springfield Classical High School (1898), Springfield, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Springfield High School Now Classical Condominiums. Newton Classical High School (1898–99, demolished 1973), Walnut Street, Newtonville, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Newton Classical High School from Art Institute of Chicago. Trenton High School (1899–1900), Chestnut & Hamilton Avenues, Trenton, New Jersey; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Trenton High School from Art Institute of Chicago. Cambridge Latin School (1900, demolished 1980), Broadway, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Cambridge Latin School from CardCow. Dorchester Latin High School (1900), Talbot Avenue & Centre Street, Boston, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Dorchester Latin High School from Boston Latin Academy Association. The firm also designed the 1910 addition.Codman Square from Dorchester Atheneum. Now Latin Academy Apartments. McKeen Memorial Hall (1903–04), Abbot Academy, Andover, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Paul Venable Turner, Academy Hill: The Andover Campus, 1778 to the Present. Addison Gallery of American Art, page 88.McKeen Memorial from CardCow. Manchester High School (1904), 1146 Main Street, Manchester, Connecticut; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Schools of the Past from Manchester Historical Society. Now Bennet Apartments for senior citizens. Leominster Public Library (1906–10), 30 West Street, Leominster, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Susan Shelton, "When Leominster built its first library," Leominster Champion, June 30, 2006. A Carnegie library. Killingly High School (1908), Killingly, Connecticut; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Old Killingly High School from CardCow. NRHP-listed. Laundry, Abbot Academy (1913–14), Andover, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver. Oakdale Elementary School, 147 Cedar Street, Dedham, Massachusetts.
Institutional buildings
Belmont Town Hall (1881), Belmont, Massachusetts. Part of the Pleasant Street Historic District. Odd Fellows Hall (1884), Cambridge, Massachusetts. NRHP-listed. Ware Town Hall (1885), Ware, Massachusetts. NRHP-listed. Westfield Municipal Building (1889–92), Westfield, Massachusetts.Westfield Municipal Building from CardCow. NRHP-listed. Andover National Bank (1890), 23 Main Street, Andover, Massachusetts. NRHP-listed. Newton Club (1891), Newtonville, Massachusetts.Newton Club from CardCow. Masonic Building (1891, burned 1906), Dover, New Hampshire.Masonic Building from St. Croix Architecture. New England Shoe and Leather Association Building (1891, demolished), 166 Essex Street, Boston, Massachusetts.N. E. Shoe and Leather Association from St. Croix Architecture. Youth's Companion Building (1892), 209 Columbus Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts. NRHP-listed. Dedham Institution for Savings (1892), 601-603 High Street, Dedham, Massachusetts Newton Cottage Hospital (1894), 2014 Washington Street, Newton, Massachusetts. NRHP-listed. The Refectory (1895), Refectory Hill, Franklin Park, Boston, Massachusetts.The Refectory from St. Croix Architecture. Taylor Building (1895), Essex & Columbia Streets, Boston, Massachusetts.Taylor Building from St. Croix Architecture. YMCA (1896), 820 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Cambridge YMCACambridge Y.M.C.A. from CardCow. Masonic Building (1896), Newton, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver. NRHP-listed. Carney Building (1902–04, demolished), 39-43 Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver. Waltham Savings Bank (1905), Waltham, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver.Waltham Savings Bank from CardCow. Company F State Armory (1909), Waltham, Massachusetts; Hartwell, Richardson & Driver. NRHP-listed.
Residences Alterations to Lyman Estate (1882–83), Waltham, Massachusetts. "Seven Gables," Francis Henry Hastings House (1885), 190 North Avenue, Weston, Massachusetts.Kendal Green Historic District from Weston Historical Commission. Shingle-Style. A contributing property in Kendal Green Historic District. Henry O. Underwood House (1885), 100 Common Street, Belmont, Massachusetts. Shingle-Style. "Osgood Hill," Moses T. Stevens House (1886), 723 Osgood Street, North Andover, Massachusetts. NRHP-listed. Avon Hill Historic District: 33 Washington Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Shingle-Style. Stillman F. Kelley House (1887), 49 Washington Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts.Stillman F. Kelley House from Historic American Buildings Survey. Yerxa-Field House (1887–88), 37 Lancaster Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.Yerxa-Field House from Myer & Myer, Architects. Shingle-Style. David Ritchie House (1889), 26 Washington Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Pill Hill Historic District: Ernest Bowditch House, 446 Walnut Street, Brookline, Massachusetts. Shingle-Style. 62 Upland Road (1890), Brookline, Massachusetts. Shingle-Style. 107 Upland Road (1892), Brookline, Massachusetts. Dr. W. B. Parker House (1886–88, altered), 248 Marlborough Street, Boston, Massachusetts.Dr. W. B. Parker House from St. Croix Architecture. One of the twin front doors led to Parker's residence, the other to his dentist's office. The right front door has been bricked over. J. A. Wood House (1888), 3 Sacramento Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Shingle-Style. NRHP-listed.