The Beaumont Family House on Hawthorne Avenue

The Beaumont family established their residence on Hawthorne Avenue in 1905 after Richard Beaumont purchased the property following his success as a wholesale merchant. Three generations lived there, including Richard, his wife Louise, their children, and later grandchildren who helped oversee family affairs. Their income came from textile distribution, commercial investments, and warehouse holdings in the city.

Historical records describe the Second Empire mansion as a prominent family residence with formal rooms, regular repairs, and active use of the library, dining room, and upper floors during the family’s most successful years.

The first warning sign appeared in 1927 when Beaumont Textile Holdings reported declining sales and delayed payments from business partners. During the economic downturn of the early 1930s, Richard reduced household expenses by dismissing staff and closing several guest rooms beneath the mansard roof. Repairs to the slate roof, iron cresting, balconies, and garden features were postponed as taxes and business debts increased. After Richard’s death in 1932, disagreements among heirs delayed decisions about the estate. By 1934, unpaid obligations forced Louise and the remaining family members to leave Hawthorne Avenue while creditors reviewed the property.

The Beaumont House was abandoned in 1935 after foreclosure followed years of business decline, accumulated debts, and unresolved estate decisions. No restoration occurred, and no Beaumont descendants returned after leaving Hawthorne Avenue. City records documented ownership complications and continued deterioration of the vacant mansion. The interior rooms remained closed, with household documents and personal belongings left behind. Over the following decades, moisture damage, structural settling, and neglect affected the sandstone residence. The Second Empire mansion remains empty on the residential avenue, deteriorating without restoration or confirmed future ownership.