Kindra Clineff
the Preservation of New England Antiquities (now Historic New England), among other organizations. The model chosen for The Brick House was the George Wythe House at Williamsburg, Virginia, the 1750 Georgian residence where Thomas Jefferson studied the law and was mentored by Wythe. The exterior dimensions of The Brick House match those of Wythe House, while the interior follows the general plan but with room sizes adjusted to accommodate modern needs such as bathrooms and a kitchen. Its Colonial Revival paint colors were done by the Edward K. Perry Company of Boston, which worked at Colonial Williamsburg and whose records are now in the archives of Historic New England. The interiors include some elements preserved from McKim, Mead and White’s 1904 Marble House, such as mantels and sinks. The Brick House is a showcase for furnishings evocative of the colonial era, as well as a museum of Jefferson and Coolidge family artifacts. Portraits by Gilbert Stuart, Sir George Chalmers, and Robert Feke depict Coolidge ancestors, and landscapes and seascapes of New England reflect the family’s long history here. Chinese export porcelain with a “J” monogram in an armorial crest is known in the family as the Jefferson service and is prominently displayed. A commemorative christening bowl is engraved with the names 6
Historic New England Fall 2016
and baptism dates of family members. The library is filled with books referencing American history and decorative arts. Photograph albums depict the earlier homes on the property and family life at Coolidge Point. Everywhere there are references to Thomas Jefferson, to Monticello, and to the roles he and his descendants played in American life. Although Jefferson was a Virginian and his home at Monticello is preserved as a national landmark, the Coolidge family presence in Massachusetts brought much of his legacy to the state. The largest collection of Jefferson’s private papers in existence is at the Massachusetts Historical Society, largely gifts of the Coolidge family. The Harvard Art Museums and other institutions hold Jefferson and Coolidge family portraits. In recent years a non-profit organization, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Center, was created by Dr. Lastavica and her late husband, John Lastavica, to continue this legacy through educational programs and public events at Coolidge Point. In 2014 Historic New England was invited to discuss with the Center and Dr. Lastavica a possible role in the longterm preservation of the buildings, landscape, and collections at Coolidge Point that remained in their care. The centerpiece of the discussion was The Brick House. How does Historic New England determine the historical significance of a twen-