Picture this. You are standing before the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds in Newton Massachusetts. A historic late First Period house. It stands as a testament to three centuries of family life. The Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds tell the stories of three Newton families. Their lives unfolded within these walls.
Edward Durant II purchased 91 acres in 1732. He built this very house which was completed in 1734. His son Edward Durant III inherited the property. He was a prominent figure in Newton. He played a key role in the events leading up to the American Revolution. His sons even fought at Lexington and Concord.
In 1790 John Kenrick Esq bought the land. He transformed it into a thriving commercial nursery. The Kenrick Nursery was one of the largest in New England. They introduced North America to popular fruits. Think Buerre Bosc and Bon Cretien pears. Imagine the delicious aroma of ripening peaches. Noblesse and Early Rareripe peaches were grown here. Also Antwerp raspberries and Duke of Kent strawberries. Quite an achievement for its time. John Kenrick was also an early abolitionist. He published The Horrors of Slavery in 1817. A remarkable stance for his time.
The Kenricks continued their work for many years. Expanding their nursery. Then selling off portions of their vast estate. Finally around 1900 the remaining land was purchased and the house began to be restored. A descendant of the original builder purchased it in 1912. Another descendant Arthur Stone Dewing bought it eleven years later. Dewing a businessman and Harvard professor loved historic preservation. His family spent summers here before opening it to the public.
In 1985 Dewing’s children established the Durant Homestead Foundation. Opening the house to visitors. Historic Newton took over in 2011. They undertook an extensive restoration. Finally in January 2014 the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds opened as an interactive museum. The museum shows the history of these three families. Three families who lived and worked on this property for three hundred years.
The Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds stand as a living history museum. A tribute to the families that shaped it. A place where history comes to life. A place where you can learn about Colonial life. The Revolutionary War. And even 19th-century horticulture. The house itself is a marvel. Wide high-ceilinged rooms. A floor plan designed for entertaining. And you can still see the elaborately tooled balusters. Plus rare early 19th-century stenciled floors. A true treasure of Newton’s past.