F.L. Ames Gardener's Cottage

The F.L. Ames Gardener's Cottage is a service building on a large private estate that displays the defining characteristics of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. Its stone walls and distinctive round tower at one corner follow the same design language as the larger residential structures on the property.

The building was constructed in 1884 as part of the Langwater estate owned by railway industrialist Frederick Lothrop Ames. It was later revised by the architecture firm Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge to meet changing needs on the property.

The cottage displays the distinctive stonework characteristic of Richardson's approach to residential design in the area. You can observe how prosperous families of that era applied significant architectural care even to service buildings on their estates.

The cottage is located in a historic neighborhood where multiple buildings designed by the same architect can be seen together during a walk. Viewing the exterior will give you a sense of how the architect applied his style to different types of buildings on the estate.

The building was initially designed for different purposes and later adapted to meet the estate gardener's family requirements. This demonstrates how malleable residential design could be in the late 1800s when circumstances on the property shifted.

Location: Easton

Inception: 1884

Architects: Henry Hobson Richardson

Architectural style: Richardsonian Romanesque

Part of: H.H. Richardson Historic District of North Easton

GPS coordinates: 42.07361,-71.09333

Latest update: December 14, 2025 16:47