The Beaumont House on Willowmere Street

The Beaumont family arrived at Willowmere Street in 1909 after Charles Beaumont purchased the mansion following his success as a luxury furniture manufacturer. The residence became home to Charles, his wife Eleanor, their three children, and Charles’s mother who remained with the family until her death. Three generations occupied the house during its most stable years.

Their income came from furniture production, wholesale contracts, and commercial property investments, which supported the upkeep of the limestone facade, marble interiors, and formal rooms before financial problems developed.

The first warning sign appeared in 1929 when Beaumont Furniture Company lost several major contracts and accumulated unpaid payments to material suppliers. Charles reduced expenses by closing the northern bedrooms, dismissing household staff, and delaying repairs to the mansard roof, marble staircase, and exterior stonework. By 1933, factory debts, mortgage payments, and declining investments placed the family under severe pressure. After Charles died in 1935, disagreements between his children over inheritance prevented a quick sale, while unpaid taxes continued accumulating against the property.

The Beaumont House was abandoned in 1938 after foreclosure proceedings transferred ownership and the family’s remaining assets were sold to settle unpaid debts. Eleanor moved to live with relatives, while the children relocated to different cities and never returned to restore the mansion. No restoration occurred, and later owners failed to complete preservation efforts because of the cost of repairs. Local records document continued damage to the limestone facade, copper roof details, and interior spaces. The Beaux-Arts and Georgian Revival residence remains empty on Willowmere Street, deteriorating quietly with no confirmed future use.