448 Puritan Road Swampscott, Ma

Swampscott, Ma has an amazing history that relates to how the Northshore of Boston was developed. There was a long list of estates that were built in Swampscott. Puritan Road was at the heart of the where the estates were built.

Most of the people that built the elaborate estates where from the greater Boston area. There was no one particular business or industry that these wealthy people came from, but rather the full menu. This included banking, leather manufacturers, and merchants. The owner of what once was called United Shoe Machinery Company, which is now the Cummings Center lived in Swamscott. Founder of Federal National Bank, owner of Gillette safety razor, owner of Houghton Miufflin Publishing Company, owner of R.H. Stearns, owner of Schrafft’s Candy, and the co-founder of General Electric all lived in Swampscott.

Along Puritan Road there were some spectacular homes including the Lincoln House, built in 1860’s. In 1911, a bright red roof stucco building called Greengate was built. It has been developed into condominiums. As you continue along you will come to Galloupes Point. This area was one of the first to include summer homes. An incredible building called Strodehurst that included forty rooms. Four additional homes were built by family members.

Gale Estate

Another estate called Gale Estate had an amazing house called Graystone Hall that was built in 1916 for Herbert E. Gale. He was in the shoe business and later became a banker. The lower half of the house was made of fieldstone. The stone was brought over from Italy. There are many people living in Swampscott today that can trace their heritage back to the stone cutters brought over from Italy.

Blyth’s Wood

Continuing along you will come to Little’s Point. The first house here was called Blythe’s Wood. It was built in 1847 by James L. Little. His son was a famous architect , his name was Arthur D. Little. Some of the estates he built include Shingleside, Red Gables, The Orchards, Grasshead and dozens of others. The White Court is his most famous one, which is currently be developed and sold as condominiums.

448 Puritan Road

When we were contacted to photograph and video 448 Puritan Road, we were not quite sure what to expect. As noted above, Puritan Road has an amazing history and living on this road presented a unique opportunity to be an extension of history.

When we arrived there was still snow on the ground as a snow storm had creep in to cover the roads and lawns everywhere. However, the day was very sunny and bright. So much so that it created quite a challenge to photograph because of so much reflection of light from the snow.

We drove down Atlantic Avenue and made the turn onto Puritan Road. Not too far along we located 448 Puritan Road listing. Interesting thing that first caught our attention was the house was constructed of bricks. This has never been the standard building material on the Northshore. Off to the side was a detached one car garage and a nice parking space for additional cars. It was a challenge to stomp around in the snow to get a good feel for the yard. Once we got in the back yard, we discovered there was a sunny area with outdoor furniture. We happened to meet the neighbor right behind the property, who informed us he bought the land and built his house when the land was for sale at the same time the owner of 448 Puritan Road had previously bought the home.

After finishing up outside, we entered through the front door. Right away we entered into the living room and a dinning room to the right. Both rooms combined to go the full length of the front of the house. One of our favorite spots was a nice cozy corner next to the fireplace. It had a small bench with cushions. The sun was shinning through the window. The fireplace captured our attention as a key feature in the living room.

Behind the living room was an extremely bright and sunny family room that lined up the back of the house. Lots of windows and floor space. Major couch and chairs set up to relax…read a book, watch television, play games, or chat with family or friends. Off the family room was a well appointed kitchen and laundry room. In the back corner, there was a high top table and chairs. There was also a bathroom off the kitchen.

Upstairs we found a master bedroom and ensuite remodeled bathroom with glass shower incasement. There were four additional bedrooms and separate full bathroom down the hall. Three of the bedrooms ran along the front of the house and the fifth bedroom was in the back.

Per usual, the real estate agent guided the home owners through the process of getting their home ready for the marketplace. The property was neat and orderly, which made it much more enjoyable to photograph and video. She always does an outstanding job or working closely with home owners. It is a very anxious experience preparing a home for the market. Her personality and spirit have a way of removing some of the anxiety. Without a doubt, she always does her homework and puts her listings in the best position to be sold at the best price and reasonable time period. It is a pleasure to be an extension of her efforts.