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History | Restoration
History
of Highfield Hall
The story of Highfield Hall coincides with the
arrival of the railroad in Falmouth on July 18, 1872. The
ability to reach Cape Cod from Boston or from New York by train
transformed the area from a quiet farming and fishing community
to an exuberant summer community. Middle class families stayed
in inns, many of them homes converted to lodgings to handle the
explosion of summer visitors. Wealthier families built seaside
estates in areas such as Quissett, Chapoquoit and Penzance.
Among the newcomers escaping the heat of the
city were the Beebes of Boston. James Madison Beebe, wealthy
from various dry goods and manufacturing businesses, and his
wife, Esther E. Beebe, first converted the Thomas Swift House on
Shore Street to a summer home they called Vineyard Lodge. They
subsequently bought more than 700 acres of land on the hill
above the railroad station, more than half of which has been
preserved as Beebe Woods.
After the death of their father in 1875, his
children built two grand residences on the hill. Brothers
Pierson and Franklin and sister Emily built a lavish
"summer cottage" in the Queen Anne stick style modeled
after the British Pavilion in the great 1876 Philadelphia
Centennial Exposition. Highfield Hall was completed in 1878, and
its sister mansion, Tanglewood, where the J. Arthur Beebes took
up residence, was finished in 1879. Thus began over fifty years
of Beebes living and entertaining in their "summer
cottages" at Highfield. In its heyday, the hill must have
been a bustling scene. The miles of carriage trails, riding
trails, gardens, two huge homes, and numerous outbuildings
required a small army of servants to maintain. The Beebes even
started a farm on Shore Street to provide produce for their
Falmouth and Boston residences.
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Highfield Hall,
built in 1878 |
Tanglewood,
completed in 1879 |
The Beebes were undoubtedly a formidable family.
The children made an impact on Falmouth with their financial
support for the building of St. Barnabas Church on Main Street
(1890) in memory of their parents, St. Barnabas House (1890), a
carriage shed (1894) for the church which in 1962 was converted
into a garden chapel, and conversion of the Bodfish House into
the Rectory (1901). For some years in the 1880s, the Beebes were
the largest taxpayers in Falmouth.
Franklin, the last of the Beebe children, died
in 1932. After that, Highfield Hall passed through a succession
of owners, each with a dream for its use. First, in the
thirties, E.H. Bristol wanted to turn it into a health resort.
That was succeeded by two dreams in the forties: J. Elwin
Wright, a religious revivalist, wanted it to become a religious
hotel and retreat. Subsequently, Arthur J. Beckhard ran the two
mansions as hotels and converted the former stable into what is
now Highfield Theater.
The Ter Heuns and the Decline of Highfield
Hall
In 1949, the entire Beebe estate was purchased by DeWitt Ter
Heun, a Texas oil man, who dreamed of turning it into a center
for the performing arts. The Ter Heuns added the Southern
plantation-style front. They spent much of their time at
Highfield, hosting theater companies, workshops, and classes;
for many summers all of Tanglewood and part of Highfield served
as dormitory space for cast and crew.
The front of Highfield Hall, modified by the Ter Huens
After DeWitt's death in 1962,the estate was
eventually purchased by developers who wanted its considerable
acreage for a housing development, but home and grounds were
rescued in 1972 by Josephine and Josiah K Lilly III. The Lillys
generously gave the nearly 400 acres of Beebe Woods to the town
for permanent conservation as green space. The buildings and
acreage on which they stood were donated to a local arts
organization.
Sadly, on May 20, 1977, Tanglewood succumbed to
the wrecker's ball and bulldozers, and Highfield Hall entered
two decades of neglect and vandalism.
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Historic Highfield Volunteers at Work
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In 1994, the residence almost suffered the same
fate as Tanglewood. However, the Town of Falmouth had instituted
a demolition delay bylaw, which mandated a 90-day period after
application for demolition of any historic building so that the
local Historical Commission could attempt to effect a
preservation compromise. An advocacy group, Friends of
Highfield, sprang into action to save the building. That group
became this 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, Historic
Highfield, Inc., in May 1994.
In 2000 Town Meeting Members authorized Falmouth
Selectmen to take Highfield Hall and six acres by eminent
domain, and in 2001 the Town signed a lease with Historic
Highfield to renovate and operate Highfield Hall. No town monies
were used for the acquisition of the property, or for the
restoration of the building.
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 The
restoration of the building began in the summer of 2001. The
first four years of restoration concentrated on making the
building water tight by installing a new red cedar roof and
repairing windows and doors. A new septic system was installed,
restrooms were completed, interior rooms were returned to their
original configurations, and some foundation work was completed.
In the fall of 2005, the final construction push began. The
building was entirely cleared, a new foundation was poured to
shore-up the historic rubble foundation, and windows and doors
were completed. All new systems were installed in the building
include a fire suppression system, HVAC, electrical
wiring, and plumbing. An elevator and handicap ramps at the
front and rear of the building made the structure completely
handicap accessible. In September of 2006, the first floor of
Highfield Hall was completed and our grand opening was
celebrated in high style with a week of events, programs, and
concerts. By April of 2007, the second and third floors
had also been completed and Highfield Hall opened for its first
full year of operations. The fall of 2007 brought the completion
of a brand new parking area and path system. The restoration of
the landscape will be the next project undertaken as we work to
implement a master landscape plan completed by well-known
landscape preservationist, Lucinda
Brockway. A campaign to fund the master landscape plan will
move forward in the spring of 2008.
Love the finishes, wallpapers or paint colors
at Highfield Hall?
Click here for our FINISHES
BROCHURE listing paint colors,
wallpaper patterns, paint techniques, and our restoration
contractors.
How to Get Involved
We appreciate all offers to volunteer or donate towards
making Highfield Hall a vital town asset that serves its
residents and visitors.
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