Building Description
Was built for Aaron Skinner, who ran a private boy’s school.. Town and Davis were the architects and Nahum Hayward the builder. It is a two-story Greek revival residence, built similar to and to compliment the grand Hillhouse Mansion at the top of the hill in Sachem’s Woods. There is a two-story main portico fronting Hillhouse with tall slender windows whose profile extends to the portico floor, and the stucco exterior is scored to give the impression of large blocks of dressed marble, giving the mansion a true Temple effect. When completed in 1839, it became one of the most distinguished homes on the Avenue. Shortly after Mr. Skinner’ s death (1858) Judge William Boardman acquired the property. He remodeled the house on designs by Henry Austin. This work filled in the second story angles that flank the portico, changing the cruciform plan to cube. The house was purchased in 1908 by Rutherford Trowbridge and in 1910 a large, sweeping center stair hall, music room and expanded dining room were completed, with a wing to the west and a bay to the north. The curved leaded glass dining room windows and grand side entrance doors were taken from the demolished Trowbridge home on the Green. The house remained in the Trowbridge family until the death of Miss Rachel Trowbridge, when the estate became the property of the University. The house is being restored and renovated in 1999 for use by the neighboring the School of Management. Although the building will not be physically linked with the adjoining Complex, landscaping will unite the facilities, creating a campus setting for SOM. Landmark plaque.