Shadow Brook Farm Historic District
Encyclopedia
Shadow Brook Farm Historic District on state Route 183 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts
, is a historic district
that includes six re-purposed farm buildings related to the former Shadowbrook mansion destroyed by fire in 1956. Designed by architect H. Neill Wilson
with landscaping by Frederick Law Olmsted
, the mansion was built for Anson Phelps Stokes
in 1893. Andrew Carnegie
acquired Shadowbrook in 1917 and died there in 1919. It served as a Jesuit novitiate from 1922. Following the fire, a non-equivalent structure of the same name took its place. The historic district largely encompasses Berkshire Country Day School
, which acquired its campus
from the Stokes family in 1963.. The historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1988.
In 1956 Francis X. Shea
, a priest who had trained at Shadowbrook, wrote an account of the Shadowbrook mansion's history and its destruction which was published posthumously in 2009 by the Society of Jesus
.
originated the name "Shadow Brook" in reference to a small stream that lies to the west and south of the mansion site. Samuel Cutler Ward
in 1844 purchased land on the slopes of Baldhead and built a mansion near the site of what was to become Shadowbrook. Ward named his mansion Oakswood.
Stokes bought the property in 1892 along with additional land to the south and north, assembling an estate of 1500 acres (607 ha). The Oakswood building was demolished except for its east wing, and Stokes built his mansion on a ledge 100 yards (90 m) west and 30 feet (9 m) lower. The building, completed in 1893 at a cost of $500,000, was shaped like the letter "L" with its point aimed south. "Two dominant styles came together in a shotgun marriage," according to Shea, "English tudor timbering, and stone. What style of stone I cannot say." The much-admired back-porch view included Stockbridge Bowl
Stockbridge Mountain, Rattlesnake Hill, Monument Mountain
and Mount Everett
.
Various timbered farm buildings were completed as part of the estate in the valley below, where members of the Stokes family continued to live at least until the 1950s.
Anson Stokes crushed his leg in a riding
accident on the property and, following its amputation
, left the mansion for Darien, Connecticut
, in 1898. The building was mostly vacant until 1906, when it was sold to Spencer P. Potter of New Orleans, who departed in 1912. The wife of a Vanderbilt family
member leased the property briefly in 1916 following her husband's death, and the mansion was sold in 1917 by Potter's debtors to Andrew Carnegie
for $300,000. Carnegie died at Shadowbrook in 1919 and the Society of Jesus acquired the property three years later as a novitiate
for training Jesuit priests.
The replacement building, 400 yard west of Shadowbrook's ruins, was completed and in use by 1958 "with a nondescript brick and concrete exterior and much painted cinderblock inside" according to Shea. An editor's postscript to Shea's work notes that in 1970 the novitiate moved to the Boston
area. The building then stood empty until 1983 when it was sold to a Hindu
ashram that established the Kripalu Center
, a yoga
, health and wellness retreat center, on the property.
Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Stockbridge is a town in Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,947 at the 2010 census...
, is a historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
that includes six re-purposed farm buildings related to the former Shadowbrook mansion destroyed by fire in 1956. Designed by architect H. Neill Wilson
H. Neill Wilson
H. Neill Wilson was an architect with his father James Keys Wilson in Cincinnati, Ohio; on his own in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and for most of his career in Pittsfield, Massachusetts...
with landscaping by Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
, the mansion was built for Anson Phelps Stokes
Anson Phelps Stokes
For other men with the same name, see Anson Phelps Stokes Anson Phelps Stokes was a merchant, banker, publicist, philanthropist, and became a multimillionaire. Born in New York City, he was the son of James Boulter and Caroline Stokes; brother of William Earl Dodge Stokes and Olivia Eggleston...
in 1893. Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
acquired Shadowbrook in 1917 and died there in 1919. It served as a Jesuit novitiate from 1922. Following the fire, a non-equivalent structure of the same name took its place. The historic district largely encompasses Berkshire Country Day School
Berkshire Country Day School
Berkshire Country Day is an independent school for students in pre-kindergarten through ninth grades. It is located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts near the town of Lenox.-History:...
, which acquired its campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
from the Stokes family in 1963.. The historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1988.
In 1956 Francis X. Shea
Francis X. Shea
Francis Xavier "Frank" Shea was an American Jesuit priest and educator who served as president of the College of St. Scholastica and, after leaving the Jesuit order, as chancellor of Antioch College.-Biography:...
, a priest who had trained at Shadowbrook, wrote an account of the Shadowbrook mansion's history and its destruction which was published posthumously in 2009 by the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
.
History
Nathaniel HawthorneNathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
originated the name "Shadow Brook" in reference to a small stream that lies to the west and south of the mansion site. Samuel Cutler Ward
Samuel Cutler Ward
Samuel Ward , was a poet, author, and gourmet, and in the years after the Civil War he was widely known as the "King of the Lobby." He combined delicious food, fine wines, and good conversation to create a new type of lobbying in Washington, DC—social lobbying—over which he reigned for...
in 1844 purchased land on the slopes of Baldhead and built a mansion near the site of what was to become Shadowbrook. Ward named his mansion Oakswood.
Stokes bought the property in 1892 along with additional land to the south and north, assembling an estate of 1500 acres (607 ha). The Oakswood building was demolished except for its east wing, and Stokes built his mansion on a ledge 100 yards (90 m) west and 30 feet (9 m) lower. The building, completed in 1893 at a cost of $500,000, was shaped like the letter "L" with its point aimed south. "Two dominant styles came together in a shotgun marriage," according to Shea, "English tudor timbering, and stone. What style of stone I cannot say." The much-admired back-porch view included Stockbridge Bowl
Stockbridge Bowl
Stockbridge Bowl is a artificially impounded body of water that is 4 km north of the village of Stockbridge, Massachusetts. A variant name is Lake Mahkeenac....
Stockbridge Mountain, Rattlesnake Hill, Monument Mountain
Monument Mountain
Monument Mountain may refer to:One of twelve summits in the United States, including:*Monument Mountain *Monument Mountain, an underground mountain located in Wyandotte Caves of Indiana.Miscellaneous...
and Mount Everett
Mount Everett
Mount Everett at 2,624 ft - or 800 m - is the highest peak in the south Taconic Mountains of Massachusetts. The mountain is known for its expansive views of the southern Taconics and Berkshires; for its fragile ecosystem of old growth pitch pine and scrub oak; and for its rare plant and animal...
.
Various timbered farm buildings were completed as part of the estate in the valley below, where members of the Stokes family continued to live at least until the 1950s.
Anson Stokes crushed his leg in a riding
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
accident on the property and, following its amputation
Amputation
Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma, prolonged constriction, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for...
, left the mansion for Darien, Connecticut
Darien, Connecticut
Darien is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. A relatively small community on Connecticut's "Gold Coast", the population was 20,732 at the 2010 census. Darien was listed at #9 at CNN Money's list of "top-earning towns" in the United States as of 2011...
, in 1898. The building was mostly vacant until 1906, when it was sold to Spencer P. Potter of New Orleans, who departed in 1912. The wife of a Vanderbilt family
Vanderbilt family
The Vanderbilt family is an American family of Dutch origin prominent during the Gilded Age. It started off with the shipping and railroad empires of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and expanded into various other areas of industry and philanthropy...
member leased the property briefly in 1916 following her husband's death, and the mansion was sold in 1917 by Potter's debtors to Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
for $300,000. Carnegie died at Shadowbrook in 1919 and the Society of Jesus acquired the property three years later as a novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
for training Jesuit priests.
Fire and later history
Shawdowbrook burned on March 9, 1956, with four of its 150 residents dying in the fire. Two more residents subsequently died of injuries from the incident. Because of the building's high cost for upkeep and other practical difficulties, architectural plans for its replacement had already been made prior to the fire. These designs were criticized by a number of senior Jesuit residents at the time, one of whom described the new building as "a monumental mediocrity."The replacement building, 400 yard west of Shadowbrook's ruins, was completed and in use by 1958 "with a nondescript brick and concrete exterior and much painted cinderblock inside" according to Shea. An editor's postscript to Shea's work notes that in 1970 the novitiate moved to the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
area. The building then stood empty until 1983 when it was sold to a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
ashram that established the Kripalu Center
Kripalu Center
The Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health is a non-profit organization that operates a health and yoga retreat in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Its facility is a former Jesuit novitiate and juniorate seminary built in 1957. The center has described itself as North America's largest residential facility...
, a yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
, health and wellness retreat center, on the property.