The Whitmore Residence on Bellview Street

The Whitmore family established their residence on Bellview Street in 1910 after James Whitmore inherited the property from his father, who had built the home while operating a successful stone masonry company. Three generations lived there, including James, his wife Clara, their children, and James’s mother who remained in the household. The family income came from masonry contracts, building restoration work, and architectural stone supply.

City records describe the residence as a carefully maintained home with active use of the parlor, workshop, and upper rooms during the years when the Whitmore business remained secure.

The first warning sign appeared in 1932 when Whitmore Stone Works recorded cancelled contracts and delayed payments from building firms. During the economic downturn, James dismissed workers, closed the upper guest rooms, and postponed repairs to the slate roof, porch railings, and damaged window frames. After James’s illness in 1935, the company struggled to continue operating. By 1938, unpaid supplier accounts, property taxes, and business loans forced the Whitmore family to leave Bellview Street and move into a smaller rented home while creditors arranged the estate’s sale.

The Whitmore Residence was abandoned in 1939 after financial collapse caused by the decline of the masonry business, unpaid debts, and property obligations. No restoration occurred, and no Whitmore descendants returned after leaving Bellview Street. Municipal records noted unsuccessful ownership transfers and continued deterioration of the vacant residence. The interior rooms remained closed, preserving household furnishings, business records, and personal belongings left behind. Over the decades, moisture damage, weather exposure, and structural wear affected the limestone walls, slate roof, and decorative details. The Gothic Revival and Italianate residence remains empty on the city street, slowly deteriorating without restoration or confirmed future use.