'Avalon', the Frederick W. Ayer estate designed by Parker, Thomas & Rice c. 1907 in Prides Crossing, Massachusetts. Ayer was president of the American Woolen Company, textile manufacturers. His daughter Beatrice was married to General George S. Patton. Click HERE for interior photos from the Beverly Public Library. 'Avalon' was demolished in 1994.
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http://binged.it/Z29EkM
The site is a neighborhood of destruction. Avalon is the curved house at lower right center. To it's immediate right is the bunker-like house built of the remains of Little Browne's marvelous Spaulding house, 'Sunset Rock', at the upper left is the site of Henry Clay Frick's bloated 'Eagle Rock', also by Little, Browne. At lower left is still standing, for now, the masterful Loring house by WR Emerson, for which extreme preservation efforts have been made.
And a very interesting article about the Ayer fortune and Avalon here:
http://www.bostonmagazine.com/2007/11/a-stranger-in-the-house-of-ayer/
Of all the old houses we've looked at here and OLI, I can't think of one I prefer to The Loring House. I find it almost incomprehensible that they were not able to raise the money needed to preserve the property. And the pending semi-destruction of part of it is just shocking to me. (If the new owner needs to tear down parts of the house to afford to live there, she shouldn't have bought it in the first place.)
http://www.loringhouse.org/
http://photos3.zillow.com/p_d/IS1vh71avb21s4j.jpg
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/441-Hale-St-Beverly-MA-01915/59226200_zpid/
http://www.noreast1.com/mantles2.html
Interestingly, the Ayer and Loring families intermarried at some time.
I share Ancient's sentiments all the way---Loring house is the best of the best.
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