State awards grant to South Shore town to aid in historic property's rehab. What was given

WEYMOUTH – The town has received a $200,000 grant to help with its ongoing effort to rehabilitate the three-story mansion on the Emery family estate .

The town received the grant from the state Office of Travel and Tourism through the Destination Development Capital Grant program.

“For years, the elements have taken its toll on the over 100-year-old building, and we have been working to first remediate hazardous materials and stabilize the structure as we implement a long-term reuse plan,” Mayor Robert Hedlund said.

The town purchased the home and 24 acres of land that surrounds it on top of King Oak Hill from the Emery family in 2011 for $1.9 million using Community Preservation Act money. The Emery family, prominent Boston-area wool merchants, owned the property for nearly a century.

The building was modeled after George Washington ’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia. The second floor offers views of the downtown Boston skyline and the property’s sweeping grounds.

The property is largely hidden from Commercial Street by trees and smaller homes in Weymouth Heights about a block from town hall.

Committee explored future uses for the home

Since taking office in 2016, Hedlund’s administration has explored many ways to save the Emery house. He appointed a committee to determine whether there was a viable reuse plan. The group put out a request for proposals from nonprofits interested in rehabilitating and using the house, but the process did not yield any viable options.

Since then, the town has sought out grant funding and explored revenue sources. For example, the town worked with outside vendors to host paranormal investigations and ghost tours inside the home.

From the archives: Weymouth takes another look at the potential of the Emery house as a community space

The town, in 2018, completed about $1.7 million in upgrades to the estate, including an 1,800-square-foot pavilion for up to 100 people, parking for up to 90 vehicles, a comfort station with restrooms, lighting and trails.

The town rents out the park and pavilion for a variety of events, which has brought renewed attention and interest to the property.

In a 2022 survey done by the town, about 89 of the 2,602 respondents said they'd like to see the home restored.

Hedlund said some of the limitations are that the building isn't handicapped accessible, and the rooms are small. The Weymouth Historical Society plans to use the second floor of the Emery Estate as a museum space.

The historical society previously used the basement of the old Tufts Library to display its collection, but has since relocated to the small Holbrook House . Due to space constrictions, the society isn't able to display its collections, so the majority of exhibits are currently in storage.

While accessibility and space issues doesn't make the home adequate for indoor events, Hedlund said the town will continue to promote outdoor use.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: State awards grant to South Shore town to aid in historic property's rehab. What was given