Dedham Community House

The Dedham Community House is a house on the banks of the Charles River in Dedham, Massachusetts that is owned and operated by the Dedham Community Association.[1] It was originally built in 1798 for Judge Samuel Haven and designed by Charles Bulfinch.[2][1] Notable guests of the house include Nathaniel Hawthorne and Abraham Lincoln.[2][1] The rooms on the first floor feature high ceilings, long French windows, tiled fireplaces, carved mahogany mantles and moldings, and original chandeliers.[3] A curved staircase leads to a second floor with smaller chamber rooms.[3]

The Dedham Community House at the corner of High and Ames St in Dedham, MA.
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In 1922 it was purchased by Charles J. Kimball and a group of civic-minded citizens for use as a community center.[3][2] Today the Community House is dedicated to "advancing the educational, recreational, cultural and civic interests of residents of all ages of Dedham and surrounding communities."[3] They offer a pre-school, summer camp, and a variety of classes and workshops throughout the year for all ages.[3][1] In 1924, the House hosted six weeks of supervised play for children during the summer months.[4] The program was expanded and moved to the various neighborhoods of town the following summer.[4]

In 2017, a grant from the Foundation for MetroWest paid to refurbish the 27 windows of the building.[1] As part of that project, old cupboards and cabinets were discovered after having previously been painted shut.[1] The house was shown in the 2014 film The Judge.[5]

References
  1. "Dedham Community House Refurbishes Haven House Windows, Thanks to Foundation for MetroWest for Generous Support". The Dedham Times. October 6, 2017. p. 8.
  2. "Historic Dedham Village: A self-guided walking tour". Dedham Historical Society and Dedham Square Circle. Archived from the original (pdf) on January 26, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  3. "History and Mission". Dedham Community House. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  4. Smith 1936, p. 134.
  5. Eisenstadter, Dave (July 11, 2013). "Dedham welcomes Robert Downey Jr. for movie filming". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2014-11-08.

Works cited


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