As a summer home for William Shirley (1694-1771), Royal Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. It is one of the last remaining mansions of royal governors in the United States. After the Revolutionary War, the home was seized as Loyalist property in 1778 and sat unoccupied for four years. For the next 100 years the home would pass through the hands of many wealthy Bostonians, Ambassadors, and Governors. Eventually it fell into being used as a tenement building, and in 1911 it was once again abandoned. Two years later, the founder of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities took on a new role, and began the work of preserving the house. The structure was again extensively renovated during the 1980’s. The work included an award winning restoration to the grounds, including an orchard, period perennial beds, parterre gardens, and a large formal lawn. Today it is used as a living museum, be sure to check the events calendar for what’s new.