Demolition Hearing for Former Dakin Estate Rescheduled to May 12
Amherst College seeks a demolition permit for the former Dakin Estate (1833) at 355 South Pleasant Street. Photo: amherstma.gov
The Historical Commission’s public hearing on the proposed demolition of two properties owned by Amherst College was rescheduled from May 5 to May 12 because of the lack of a quorum. At issue are the former estate of Arthur H. Dakin at 355 South Pleasant Street, built in 1833, and a house at 70 Northampton Road, constructed in 1880. Both properties are currently vacant and falling into disrepair, according to Amherst College. The Historical Commission can place a one-year delay on the demolitions if they deem the properties to be historically significant. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be held on Zoom.
According to the Historical Commission, the Dakin property was acquired by the Dakin family in 1909. Arthur Hazard Dakin Jr., the oldest son, acquired the property at the death of his father in 1936 and lived there until his death in November, 2001. He had no heirs, and the late Larry Kelly’s blog reported that the 37-acre property with its 8-bedroom house was offered to Amherst College for $1 million. Two years later, in 2003, when no deal had been reached, the property was put to auction, where it was purchased by Amherst College for $4.3 million.
It is interesting to note that Arthur’s younger brother, Winthrop S. (Toby) Dakin, had served as the attorney for Amherst College until 1972. He was also chairman of the Emily Dickinson Homestead committee and an original trustee of Hampshire College. Both Dakin brothers had law practices in Amherst.
At the time that Amherst College acquired the property, then-President Anthony Marx stated that the college wanted to prevent the development of a subdivision adjacent to the campus. The property is just north of the Amherst Golf Club. The size of the property would permit the construction of up to 30 single-family homes or 50 condominiums. According to the Daily Hampshire Gazette , the property, currently assessed at just over $1 million, has been deemed by college officials to be too far away from the rest of the campus to be used for administrative or academic offices, or for dormitories. Building Commissioner Rob Morra required that it be fenced off because of the danger of collapse or vandalism. A small barn on the property is slated to remain.
The other property to be considered for demolition is the Blair, Lewis and Florence House or the Obed Smith House at 70 Northampton Road, (picture) assessed at $455,000. The single-family Victorian eclectic house is also in poor repair and at risk for vandalism. Unlike the Dakin estate, the house is visible from the street. The Gazette quotes spokesperson Caroline Hanna, stating that Amherst College has no immediate plans to use either property.
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The two Dakin brothers were very different. Hazard was almost reclusive. Winthrop (known as Toby) and his wife Janet were very active Amherst residents and extremely generous. Toby was the Moderator of Amherst’s Town Meeting for 18 years. His legal work helped shape Hampshire College in its earliest days; he proposed its Latin motto and even its name. Janet and Toby were founders and early supporters of the Kestrel Land Trust, and the animal shelter that has their name. They left their residence and 42 acres around it to UMass, where it is now the Kinney Center for Renaissance Studies. The full extent of Janet and Toby’s generosity will never be known because their gifts were often anonymous.
Janet Wilder Dakin was the sister of playwright Thornton Wilder. She was a Mount Holyoke graduate and earned a PhD in biology. Driving down East Pleasant Street during reunion season a Mt Holyoke banner would welcome alumnae to her home.
I won’t lie and say that I don’t adore historic homes. They add so much, ……….whether it’s a historic house or a large tree along a large avenue, comparatively it is so inexpensive to protect these things. I can think of a lot of things that cost a lot more money.