The Peter Green House, home to the Department of History, has reopened on Brown Street following a relocation and renovation.
Moving the building from Angell Street to clear the way for the Walk - the greensward currently under construction that will connect Lincoln Field to the Pembroke campus - was "a huge project" that was "handled very, very well," History Department Manager Karen Mota said.
The reopened house features new stairs and railings on the exterior. The Herald reported in October 2006 that the department appreciated the move because of a shortage of office space. Six "desperately needed" faculty offices were created in the new basement level, Mota said, adding that the department is in the process of hiring three new senior-level faculty members.
The house is handicap-accessible following the move, with a wheelchair entrance on the basement level and an elevator to the first floor.
A number of fire safety features were also added following the move. A second staircase was built on the east side of the house and, in the house's main staircase, obtrusive fire doors were removed. A sprinkler system was also installed and a new fire escape was added on the north side.
The spacious central foyer is crowned with a restored stained glass window that Mota said she believes is original to the house.
Other preserved details in the Peter Green House include mosaic tile fireplaces, hardwood floors and leatherette paneling. A conference room on the first floor is the building's only classroom space.
Built as a private residence in 1868, the University acquired the house in 1966. Funding for a 1999 renovation of the house, which included the installation of an air conditioning system and updates of the home's heating and electrical systems, was provided by Peter Green MA'80 P'99 P'01, who studied history at the University. Green, a former Corporation trustee, made the donation in honor of his late wife, Mary-Jean Mitchell Green P'99 P'01.
Formerly located at 142 Angell St., the Peter Green House was moved to its current address at 79 Brown St. last summer.
