Calvin Frye’s Office at 400 Beacon Street

The restored room occupied by Mrs. Eddy's trusted helper, friend, and confidant offers clues to his work and interests.

By
  • Heather Vogel Frederick
-

Photos by Webb Chappell

In May 2024, Longyear Museum successfully completed a thorough restoration of 400 Beacon Street, the final residence of Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer, Founder, and Leader of Christian Science. In this online series, we reprise “‘The Dearest Spot on Earth’” from the 2024 issues of the Longyear Review, taking readers on a tour through the interior of the immaculately restored house in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Each month, starting October 2024, we’re adding a new room from Part 1 of the series to the “itinerary.” 

What happened in this room?

Mary Baker Eddy’s man-of-all-work for 28 years, Calvin Frye gave her the devotion of a son and served as a trusted friend and confidant. His office, located next door to her suite of rooms, is a practical but handsome workplace, fitted out with several pieces of original furniture, including his prized mahogany rolltop desk. Here, ever alert for his Leader’s call, Mr. Frye would have conducted his daily duties, overseeing the household; paying the bills, recording every transaction in his ledger; and answering correspondence on his state-of-the-art semicircular 1910 Hammond typewriter. His room was also a peaceful retreat, a place where he could keep his watch as a metaphysical worker, read (“a quiet corner and a good book are all he requires,” journalist Sibyl Wilbur noted), or perhaps step onto the veranda to enjoy the view.1

Tale of a typewriter: Machines of this type are not easy to come by today! The Historic House team scoured the world—literally—in search of one similar to what they saw in the historic photos of Mr. Frye’s room. This Hammond #2 was purchased from a collector in the Netherlands who, when he heard it was going to be displayed in a museum, graciously offered a 50 percent discount and covered the cost of shipping.

Wallpaper clues: Scraps of this wallpaper were found in Mrs. Eddy’s closet, evidence that it had originally hung in her study and bedroom as well. “She had not been consulted about the wallpaper,” Adelaide Still recalled, “and instead of a light color, such as she liked, there was a dark paper with a large flowered pattern on it; very handsome, but not what she would have chosen.”2  In a move that confirms this clue as to her taste, Mrs. Eddy had it replaced with the more feminine floral pattern in her suite. Visitors today have the opportunity to compare the two patterns for themselves.

This photo: Mr. Frye’s dresser display includes a period shirt collar. Historic photos show a motto hanging from the light fixture (as reproduced here) that reads, “The eternal God is thy refuge.” Photo at top of page: In 1903, Calvin Frye was given this rolltop desk by his fellow Executive Members of The Mother Church at Mrs. Eddy’s request, to honor his many years of service to her.

The brief stops in these freshly interpreted period rooms touch on fascinating details about historic restoration. And they also offer a window into the daily routines of “family” life and the prayer and practical accomplishments that took place during the three years that Mrs. Eddy and her staff lived and worked here (1908­–1910).

The Dearest Spot on Earth: Part 1

Introduction
The Library (October 2024)
The Dining Room (November 2024)
Mrs. Eddy’s Study (December 2024)
The Pink Room (January 2025)
Calvin Frye’s Office (this page)

Still to come:
“The Dearest Spot on Earth: Part 2

Introduction
The Kitchen 
The West Room
Laura Sargent’s Room 
The Sewing Room 

This article was originally published in the Spring/Summer 2024 issue of the Longyear Review, a free publication for members. If you’d like to join and receive this print newsletter, please click here. 

Notes


  1. Sibyl Wilbur, “The Story of the Real Mrs. Eddy,” Human Life, November 1907.
  2. Adelaide Still, “My Years in Mrs. Eddy’s Home,” We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, Expanded Edition Vol. II (Boston: The Christian Science Publishing Society, 2013), 477.