# Dedham Inn

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The **Dedham Inn** was an [inn](/source/Inn) on Court Street in [Dedham, Massachusetts](/source/Dedham,_Massachusetts). It housed several notable guests at the corner of Court Street and Highland Street before burning down in 1939.

## Early history

During the American Revolution, General Lafayette's men camped on the land that would later adjoin the inn.[1]

The home was built in 1791 and was said to have been designed by [Charles Bulfinch](/source/Charles_Bulfinch).[2][3][4][a]

A year before the construction, the land was sold to John M. Lovell for 36 pounds.[4] In 1792, Lovell sold the house and land to Samuel Brock Jr. for 576 pounds.[4] The next owner was John Madey, who sold it to Alexander Hodgdon in 1795.[4] His widow sold it to Samuel "Blind Samuel" Richards in 1803.[4][2] Richards was born in Dedham but later moved to Boston and became a hardware merchant.[4] After going blind, he returned to Dedham.[4]

Richards' son, Edward Metcalf Richards, later owned the house.[4][b] His wife, Rebecca (), said that when she first moved into the home that as many as 20 stagecoaches a day would pass by the house, many stopping at [Gay's Tavern](/source/Gay's_Tavern) across the street.[4] The rear portion of the home was torn down in 1878 and a new addition added.[4] The home and land would remain in the Richard family for 114 years.[2][4]

## Use as an inn

In 1915, the house was purchased by Robert M. Morse,[c] expanded, and converted into an inn.[2][1][4] It quickly became a popular venue for events.[2]

Just a few years later, in 1919, [Mary Miles Minter](/source/Mary_Miles_Minter) and [William Desmond Taylor](/source/William_Desmond_Taylor) stayed at the inn while filming [Anne of Green Gables](/source/Anne_of_Green_Gables_(1919_film)).[2] In 1920, a film version of [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](/source/Henry_Wadsworth_Longfellow)'s poem *[The Bell of Atri](/source/Tales_of_a_Wayside_Inn)* was filmed in Dedham on the Town Common.[5] The major players ate at the Dedham Inn.[5]

During the [Sacco and Vanzetti](/source/Sacco_and_Vanzetti) trial, the sequestered jurors would eat at the inn.[6][2] So, too, would judge [Webster Thayer](/source/Webster_Thayer), the newspapermen covering the trial, and most of those connected with the courthouse.[6] Several of those newspapermen would later submit an affidavit that swore they heard Thayer making prejudicial remarks at the inn.[2]

## Fire

In 1927, George Thorley[d] purchased the inn.[3][4] At 3:30 in the morning of February 6, 1939 Thorley's cockerspaniel, Josephine began barking and woke up the family.[2][1][4] The house was on fire, and Thorley, his wife, their two daughters, two boarders, and one guest were able to get out of the house to safety.[2][3][1][4][e] The seven attempted to get down the front stairs, but were repelled by the flames.[4][1] They escaped out the back instead.[4][1]

Frank Howard, the guest, had trouble finding a fire alarm box but eventually located one on the corner of Court Street and Village Avenue.[4] By holding the lever down, instead of simply pulling it down and releasing it, he interfered with the sounding of the whistle that indicated the location of the fire.[4] The correct location was noted inside the fire station, however.[4]

Chief [Henry J. Harrigan](/source/Henry_J._Harrigan) sounded a general alarm upon arriving on scene when he saw the Highland Street side of the building completely engulfed.[4] The entire [Dedham Fire Department](/source/Dedham_Fire_Department) battled the flames for five hours, but the snow and ice created additional challenges.[2][3][1][4] They used nine fire hoses to spray water on the house.[4] The fire, which was likely caused by a faulty furnace, gutted the interior of the home.[3][2][1] Only the exterior walls were left standing and it was razed.[2][3][1]

Lost in the fire were 50 oil paintings by Magdeline Thorley, George's wife, an accomplished painter.[3][4] One was worth $1,500.[3][f] All of the clothes and possessions of the Thorley family, their boarders, and their guest were lost.[4] Deputy Chief John Hartnett and firefighter William Henderson entered the building and attempted to rescue the dog, but were unsuccessful and Josephine perished in the flames.[4][1][2]

The Thorley's daughter, Barbara, taught a kindergarten in the building.[3]

## Present day

In 1950–51, the property was subdivided and three new homes were built on it.[2] Four granite fence posts on Court Street are all the remain of the original building.[2]

## Notes

1. Bullfinch also designed the [Haven house](/source/Dedham_Community_House) a few blocks away.[2]

1. Edward was vice president of the [Massachusetts Horticultural Society](/source/Massachusetts_Horticultural_Society) and died in 1865.[4]

1. The Library of Congress source has another name, which is illegible, printed in the original document. It is crossed out and Morse's name is handwritten next to it.[4]

1. Thorley was a member of the Dedham Board of Assessors.[4]

1. One guest was Billy Murray, the captain of the [1919 Harvard Crimson football team](/source/1919_Harvard_Crimson_football_team).[3][4] At the time, Murray was the district supervisor of the [National Youth Administration](/source/National_Youth_Administration).[4]

1. More than $33,000 in 2024 dollars.

## References

1. ["Historic Dedham Inn Destroyued; Spaniel Warns Occupants, Dies"](https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/ma/ma0800/ma0835/data/ma0835data.pdf). *The Boston Herald*. February 7, 1939. Retrieved May 2, 2024.

1. Parr, James L. (May 2, 2024). ["Dedham's Stone Secrets Part 1/The Dedham Inn"](https://dedhamtales.com/2024/05/02/dedhams-stone-secrets-part-1-the-dedham-inn/). Dedham Tales.

1. ["Old Dedham Inn Prey of Flames"](https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/ma/ma0800/ma0835/data/ma0835data.pdf). *The Boston Post*. February 6, 1939. Retrieved May 2, 2024.

1. ["Ancient Town Landmark Is Destroyed By Flames"](https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/ma/ma0800/ma0835/data/ma0835data.pdf)

1. Parr 2009, p. 80.

1. Russell, Francis (1962). [*Tragedy in Dedham: The story of the Sacco-Venzetti case*](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70970/pg70970-images.html). McGraw-Hill. Retrieved May 2, 2024.

## Works cited

- Parr, James L. (2009). *Dedham: Historic and Heroic Tales From Shiretown*. The History Press. ISBN 978-1-59629-750-0.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dedham Inn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dedham_Inn) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dedham_Inn?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.