The stucco mansion across the Jamaicaway was built in 1893 and the architect was William Ralph Emerson. It is not the finest work of Emerson – who moved from the Queen Anne style to Colonial Revival later in his career. It is “basically a rectangular block with projecting bays and pavilions.” It does have nice French doors facing out to the pond. The mansion was built for Robert Morse, Jr. who moved here when the city took his family home on Jamaica Pond for parkland. Morse was an attorney and state legislator (Senator 1866-67, Representative 1880.) The house and its brick carriage house (visible from behind on Burroughs St and worth walking around for a look!) are now condominiums. This building housed the Children’s Museum from 1935 to 1974.
The latter part of the twentieth century was not kind to the Pond. The carriageways that Olmsted designed became full of noisy speeding vehicles. As we discussed at Pinebank, the City of Boston did not provide the Parks Department the funding needed to take great care of the jewels within its Emerald Necklace. The Jamaica Pond Project was founded in 1983 by a group of concerned citizens who were upset at the lack of stewardship shown by the City. Christine Cooper was the Project Director for 21 years from 1983-2004. She was a driving force behind cleaning up and restoring the Pond’s parkland. Ultimately she was responsible for: directing the Sailing School; teaching in the Open Classroom; operating the boat house concession stand including maintenance of the bathrooms; coordinating parklands clean-up projects and major restoration programs; and collaborating with the City Departments. Christine was a friend of hundreds and a greeter of thousands who visited Jamaica Pond. The boathouse was
named in her honor in 2019.
Charlie Hauck was another founder of the Pond Project who remained Executive Director of the Project until 2004. In 2004, the Pond Project morphed into Friends of the Jamaica Pond who remain active in working to make the Jamaica Pond a vibrant addition to the area. There continue to be concerns with traffic and upkeep as well as worries about “wear and tear” as the Pond parklands are well-used and loved by visitors.