History

A Mansion for The Wightmans

Tucked within the historic Longwood neighborhood of Brookline, the George Wightman Mansion stands as a striking reminder of turn-of-the-century wealth and architectural ambition. The mansion was built in 1902 for industrialist George Henry Wightman (1855-1937), a steel magnate associated with Andrew Carnegie and was known as one of the “Carnegie Boys”, a close-knit and influential group of partners and executives who managed Carnegie Steel. Wightman retired around the time of building his Brookline house, which coincided with the formation of U.S. Steel, a merger which benefitted the Carnegie Corporation and its partners handsomely.

With his expansive wealth and eyes set on retirement, George Wightman hired the prominent firm Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, to design his new mansion to live out the remainder of his life in solitude. The brick and stone Renaissance Revival/Beaux Arts style mansion sits atop large, elegantly landscaped grounds and is of a scale unlike anything else in the neighborhood.

Tennis & the Wightman Family

George H. Wightman was known as the “Father of American Lawn Tennis” as he was one of the country’s foremost pioneers of amateur tennis. His only son, George W. Wightman, played tennis at a high level, was president of the United States Lawn Tennis Association and later the Boston Athletic Association.

However, it was Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman, the wife of George W. Wightman, who became a tennis champion. She won 45 U.S. titles during her life and founded the Wightman Cup, an annual team competition for British and American women from 1923 to 1989. (Photo credit: Miss Hazel Hotckhiss, champion 1909 and 1910. Spalding’s Tennis Annual 1911. American Sports Publishing Co., New York. (online))

Changing Ownership

After Wightman’s death in 1937, the mansion was sold, becoming home to Hebrew College. When they relocated to Newton in 2002, the building was acquired by Wheelock College. In 2003, Shepley Bulfinch revitalized the historic structure to meet the evolving needs of Wheelock College. The renovation unified the original design with a 1962 addition, creating a cohesive architectural language inside and out. The modernized facility became a vibrant academic and social center, featuring a cafe, seminar rooms, faculty and administrative offices, and a two-story multi-purpose room. The central hall and stairwell is defined by a beautiful stained-glass skylight.

Following Wheelock College’s merger with Boston University in 2018, the Wightman House was repurposed as an event and conference venue, now managed by BU Events & Conferences. This historic building is noted as one of the iconic designs along the Boston Marathon Route by Shepley Bulfinch.

Banner image at top of page: On the left side is George Wightman mansion (built 1902) at 43 Hawes St. and on the right side is 48 Hawes St. (built 1913). Both still standing. (Photo from Brookline Historical Society)

Information adapted from Buildings of New England