38 Acadia Street - Bulkley Division
The Jeremiah Smith House is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and its association with past occupants.
The Jeremiah Smith House is recognized as an excellent example of the Colonial Revival architectural style in the late 19th – early 20th Century. The front of the house is characterized by symmetrical wood-framed windows, wood shutters, and a front entrance supported by fluted columns. The rear of the building has three symmetrical rank gabled dormers. There is a veranda that wraps around the rear and side façade, supported by Doric pilasters.
The Jeremiah Smith House is also recognized for its association with past occupants. It was originally built as a summer residence for Judge Jeremiah Smith of Boston in October of 1915. Judge Smith began vacationing in St. Andrews at the turn of the century, bringing his daughter, Miss Elizabeth H. Smith (Beth), and his son, Jeremiah Smith Jr. (Jerry), to the Algonquin Hotel. After many summers at the hotel, Judge Smith bought land from Mrs. Bosworth, hired American architect John W. Ames, and built a summer home.
Judge Smith was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1837. He graduated from law school at Harvard in 1856, and was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Hampshire in 1867, when he was just 30 years old. He left the Court in 1874 when he became seriously ill with tuberculosis, and he moved to Minnesota to deal with his health. He returned to New Hampshire several years later, and became a law professor at Harvard around 1890. He retired in 1910, and he died in St. Andrews on September 3, 1921. He was 85 years old.
After the death of Judge Smith, his children Beth and Jerry continued to visit St. Andrews and stayed in the house for many years. Miss Beth was a notable golfer, playing daily. She passed away in 1956.
Jeremiah Smith Jr. was a well-known lawyer and banker. He often travelled abroad for his work. In 1924, he was appointed to the League of Nations’ Commissioner General for Hungary, where he was tasked with reorganizing the financial structure of the country. After completing his work ahead of schedule, he refused his salary, as well as a 100,000 pound gift from the Hungarian people. He asked that the money be used instead to set up a scholarship in his name for Hungarian technical students to be trained in the United States. When in St. Andrews, Jeremiah Smith Jr. spent his time playing golf, tennis, and sailing. He died in 1935, at the age of 64.
After the death of Miss Beth, the Jeremiah Smith House was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Louis Kronenberger in 1959. Louis Kronenberger was an American novelist and literary critic. He lectured at Oxford and Harvard, and was a drama critic for Time magazine for over 20 years. He enjoyed his summers in St. Andrews, and visited almost every year until he died in 1980.
The character-defining elements include:
Main entrance:
Back side:
Cottage addition:
The character-defining elements of the property include:
Architectural Style: Colonial Revival
Other Names: Gordon Reed Residence
Source: Willa Walker "Summers in St. Andrews"; John Leroux "St. Andrews Architecture 1604-1966"
The Jeremiah Smith House is recognized as an excellent example of the Colonial Revival architectural style in the late 19th – early 20th Century. The front of the house is characterized by symmetrical wood-framed windows, wood shutters, and a front entrance supported by fluted columns. The rear of the building has three symmetrical rank gabled dormers. There is a veranda that wraps around the rear and side façade, supported by Doric pilasters.
The Jeremiah Smith House is also recognized for its association with past occupants. It was originally built as a summer residence for Judge Jeremiah Smith of Boston in October of 1915. Judge Smith began vacationing in St. Andrews at the turn of the century, bringing his daughter, Miss Elizabeth H. Smith (Beth), and his son, Jeremiah Smith Jr. (Jerry), to the Algonquin Hotel. After many summers at the hotel, Judge Smith bought land from Mrs. Bosworth, hired American architect John W. Ames, and built a summer home.
Judge Smith was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1837. He graduated from law school at Harvard in 1856, and was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Hampshire in 1867, when he was just 30 years old. He left the Court in 1874 when he became seriously ill with tuberculosis, and he moved to Minnesota to deal with his health. He returned to New Hampshire several years later, and became a law professor at Harvard around 1890. He retired in 1910, and he died in St. Andrews on September 3, 1921. He was 85 years old.
After the death of Judge Smith, his children Beth and Jerry continued to visit St. Andrews and stayed in the house for many years. Miss Beth was a notable golfer, playing daily. She passed away in 1956.
Jeremiah Smith Jr. was a well-known lawyer and banker. He often travelled abroad for his work. In 1924, he was appointed to the League of Nations’ Commissioner General for Hungary, where he was tasked with reorganizing the financial structure of the country. After completing his work ahead of schedule, he refused his salary, as well as a 100,000 pound gift from the Hungarian people. He asked that the money be used instead to set up a scholarship in his name for Hungarian technical students to be trained in the United States. When in St. Andrews, Jeremiah Smith Jr. spent his time playing golf, tennis, and sailing. He died in 1935, at the age of 64.
After the death of Miss Beth, the Jeremiah Smith House was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Louis Kronenberger in 1959. Louis Kronenberger was an American novelist and literary critic. He lectured at Oxford and Harvard, and was a drama critic for Time magazine for over 20 years. He enjoyed his summers in St. Andrews, and visited almost every year until he died in 1980.
The character-defining elements include:
- 5 bay façade main structure with guest cottage attached to side
- central entranceway
- eave returns
- modillions on all eaves of this building
- side gable on one side of main structure and hipped on alternate side (alternate side being where cottage is attached). This is shown to be this way in historic photograph.
- veranda on gabled side of main structure
- veranda roof supported by Doric pilasters
- upper storey windows flush with eaves
- wood cladding
- wood framed windows
- window placement and proportions
- shutters (wood)
Main entrance:
- Heavily moulded pediment supported by fluted columns
- large wooden door with sidelights
Back side:
- -three rank gabled dormers
- two facade wrap around balcony continues in back from side facade.
Cottage addition:
- shed dormers
- eave returns
- wood cladding
- wood framed windows
- Shed attached to cottage has large segmented arch wooden garage door, with keystone
The character-defining elements of the property include:
- location on a large property that maintains historic open space
Architectural Style: Colonial Revival
Other Names: Gordon Reed Residence
Source: Willa Walker "Summers in St. Andrews"; John Leroux "St. Andrews Architecture 1604-1966"
