About
click through each link below to read through the history of The Victorian!
As a young girl in elementary school and to this day, Julia can remember always being surrounded by various works of art and crafts created by her mother and grandmother. Her mother, Elizabeth Claire, often had a piece of fabric, yarn, embroidery thread, pastels or a paint brush in her hand. She would also be constantly flipping though art and design magazines; American Artist, Better Homes and Garden, Ladies Home Journal, The Saturday Evening Post & McCall’s, all the while seeking colors, patterns and the latest home décorating ideas. Elizabeth, also known as Betty, has a lovingly filled corner of the shop with many of the beautiful fabrics, trims, laces and notions she‘s collected throughout her lifetime. “Betty’s Boutique” is a trip down memory lane for her at “The Victorian.”
Elizabeth’s love for all things art, Julia believes, came from her mother Bertha. Bertha was an avid and successful painter, often showing her works at The Wysteriahurst Museum in Holyoke, Ma. She used various mediums from acrylics to oils, always sketching her subject matter first with lead pencils. Occasionally, she would decide to stay with the black and white sketches and use her gummy eraser to smudge and blend. Julia remembers sitting with her often learning whatever she could from her grandmother.
Working for the YWCA as a secretary, Bertha would organize Peter Pan bus trips to various landmarks along the New England Coast. These trips were often filled with ladies who were Artists in their own right. They would travel with their compact easels and artists cases filled with their favorite artists supplies, with intentions of setting up on site, wherever the destination. Bertha’s old photo album shows some great places they visited; The Capital in Washington, DC. The Vanderbuilt Mansions, RI, Lake George, NY., Mt. Washington, NH. Julia has all of her original paintings and proudly displays some of them in her shop.
Both Elizabeth and Bertha truly instilled into Julia a love for the arts. Julia’s favorite classes in high school were of course Art & Sewing. Receiving an Associates Degree in Retail Management, she focused on Fashion Marketing and wanted to be a fashion Buyer for Filene’s Department Store, where she did her internship. However, while working one day in the Better Sportswear Department, she observed an employee creating the Holiday displays. Elegant evening wear & accessories, furniture pieces, golden tapestry cloths, giant Christmas ornaments, lighting, etc. It looked like so much fun!
Inquiring with Human Resources lead her to the main offices in Hartford, Ct. where she met with the Architectural Services Department. From here she went on to complete and receive her Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design, specializing in Commercial Design. Employment in several Architectural Firms throughout Hartford and Boston over a fifteen year period gave her immense exposure to the world of design and architecture, frequently visiting the Boston Design Center and Historic Architectural sites in new England.
Marrying in 1998, to the love of her life, John, they were a perfect match in that he was and is a man of all trades. A Marketing Major and a passion for the home building industry, together they have bought and flipped homes for rent or sale, as seen in “The Victorian!” They have two sons, Jonathan and Joseph. Jonathan has his own woodworking company in the lower level of The Victorian, Valley Woodworks, LLC. and Joseph works for a Computer Technology Company.
Always hoping to have a shop/studio of her own someday that she could share with other like minded women, became a reality in August 2020, when she and her husband John purchased the old Moulton Insurance house at 1500 North Main St. In Palmer, Ma., that was built in 1868, also known as The Ebenezer Brown house. The classic 1980’s beige office interior is what greeted you as you entered the front door, but it’s original wood mouldings and architectural interest through out the house closed the deal. Julia knew what she wanted to do upon first sight. This was the house…it was perfect!
“It has definitely evolved into more than originally planned, but sometimes you just have to roll with it. And we are very happy we did…..”
Welcome to The Victorian c.1868, the Original Home of Ebenezer and Mary Brown. “This remarkable house is one of the most intact and elaborately detailed examples of the Queen Anne style in Depot Village, Palmer, Massachusetts, as well as being the oldest structure on this central stretch of North Main St.”, states Patricia Wright, Preservation Consultant of the Palmer Planning Board and Historical Commission, back on November 27, 1983.
Built in 1868 by Ebenezer and Mary Brown, this home is truly a joy to be in every day. It’s warmth radiates through every room and it’s obvious that Ebenezer and Mary put their heart and soul into its planning and design, says, Julia Dias, co-owner of The Victorian.
For architectural historians, here is the statement of Architectural Significance, as stated by Patricia Wright on Form B – Building – Form A-173, Massachusetts Historical Commission, 294 Washington St. Boston, Ma 02108.
“Modified rectangular plan with shallow two-story ells right and left side, large rear ell, left and right rear open porches, brick foundation, brick chimney (coffered and corbelled), mostly one/one lights (some Queen Anne lights survived).”
According to homeowners John & Julia Dias, the basement foundation is also made up of multiple stacked, very large in size, approximately 2 1/2’ high x 4’-5’wide, granite boulders that reach approximately 8’ in height from the basement floor, installed below ground and below the exposed upper brick foundation. Also, several structural square columns in the basement were created with stack bricks.
The homes address was originally 500 North Main St., was listed as residential use, had wood clapboards, shaped shingles, a bungalow garage right rear and was built on less than one acre of land. It’s “Historic Name” is listed as, Ebenezer Brown.
Ebenezer Brown, a son of James and Rebecca Brown, was born in Brighton, Mass., October 16th, 1822. He remained in that town until thirteen years of age, attending the public schools. At that age he came to Palmer, taking up residence in Palmer Center with an uncle, Ralph Green, a well known farmer. He remained on the farm three years, attending Wesleyan Academy in Wilbraham during the winters.
He then secured employment as a clerk in a general store in Jenksville, remaining two years, when he took a similar position in a store in Chicopee Falls. A year was spent in this position, when he accepted an offer in a whole sale dry goods firm in Salem, Mass. After a year, he returned to Palmer, purchasing the hardware business of Austin Bassett, in the old McGilvray block. Later he moved into the old Nassowanno House block, and when it was burned, again moved to South Main street. He returned later, opening a store in the Converse House block, now occupied by J. F. Foley. After a time he and C. D. Holbrook built Commercial block, Mr. Brown moving, on it’s completion into the store now occupied by him.
He has always been a Democrat in politics, and has held many positions of honor and trust. In 1871 he represented his district in the House of Representatives. He has held the office of selectman, was for six years town clerk and treasurer, two years treasurer of the Palmer Savings Bank, and has been prominent in the Congregational Church for many years. Mr. Brown is now remembered as one of the most prominent business men in Palmer’s history, and had always taken a keen interest in the town’s welfare. He was married in December 1845, to Mary S. Allen of Ware. They have two children, Clarence A., and Anna E., both married and living in Palmer.
Ebenezer also owned several lots in town. He built his first house in 1868 and a second house in 1884. Seventeen years later, Ebenezer sold this house, The Victorian, to his son Clarence in 1885, who in turn sold the home to Charles F. Grosvenor, Pres. of Grosvenor Woolen Co. and Pres. of the Springfield & Eastern St. Railroad. He and his family used the home as their summer residence until 1914, when Fannie Grosvenor, his widow, sold it to Benjamin & Effie Freeman who converted the house into a Rooming House. The Palmer Board of Assessors has documentation showing all the tenants that rented the various rooms from the time period of 1919 to 1973. Some of the occupations for the tenants were: Batteryman, Barber, Bartender, Chemist, Die maker, Engineer, Farmer, Housewife, Laborer, Mechanic, Nurse, Salesman, Sheet metal Worker, Tavern keeper, Telegrapher, and a Turnpike Caller! The Freemans then sold the house to Leroy and Anna Smith who continued using the Rooming House until Leroy died in 1952. Anna Smith, Leroys wife, sold to Lionel and Cynthia Laplante in 1973. They, in turn, sold the home to Gammons, Potter & Prentice who converted the house into Insurance offices. In 1987 Gammons, Potter & Prentice sold it to Charles Moulton Insurance who operated their company here for several years until deciding to close this location. The house was on the market for a couple of years, vacant, until John and Julia Dias saw a diamond in the rough and purchased the home on August 6th , 2023. They purchased the home with the intentions of opening a shop on the first floor, called The Victorian and creating two private offices and a new apartment on the second floor.
Originally 500 North Main St. this historic Queen Anne Victorian built by Ebenezer and Mary Brown in 1868, has been home to various owners, tenants and business for 156 years. It is apparent that no details were spared in the design and construction of this house. Solid cut and carved wood mouldings, solid brass and crystal chandeliers, ornate brass doorbells and hardware, grand fireplaces and colorful stained and etched glass doors and windows all define the success of this prominent business and family man, Ebenezer Brown.
