31 Jul 2025 July’s Office Artifact: Alvah Kittredge Capital
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An original Greek Revival ionic capital from the 1834 Alvah Kittredge House has been a longtime feature in our office since the 2011-2014 rehab of the historic Roxbury home.
Four of the six columns remained when HBI intervened in 2011, but as they were rotting and covered in vines, they were not able to be restored. The remaining capitals were also thoroughly rotted, so Essex Restoration of Wilmington, MA reconstructed one capital to serve as a mold for the new ones that would be made of resilient resin, resistant to rot. And that is the capital we’ve been sharing our conference room with for years!
Built for Roxbury alderman and Eliot Church deacon Alvah Kittredge (1798–1876), the Kittredge House is one of a handful of high style Greek Revival period wood frame houses remaining in Boston. Originally positioned in the center of a large rural estate, the Kittredge House was also once home to prominent 19th century Boston architect Nathaniel Bradlee. In the 1970s and 80s, it was home to Roxbury Action Program (RAP), a social service and advocacy organization that served the needs of Roxbury’s African American community. The house was vacant from 1991-2011.
