Episode 8: The Houghton Mansion

The History of the Houghton Mansion continued
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John Widders

Following the tragedy, one the surviving Houghton daughters, Florence, moved into the house with her husband, William Arthur Gallup, and made their home there, looking after Mrs. Houghton until her death in 1916.  They continued to reside in the house until Mr. Gallup retired in 1926, when they sold it to the Masons and moved to Boston to be nearer their son.  The Masons did away with the formal Garden and erected a huge Masonic Temple at the rear of the house. The mansion is still in use as a Masonic Temple today and is maintained by the Lafayette Graylock Masonic Lodge A.F. & A.M. and the Naomi Chapter of the Eastern Star -- non-profit associations that support many charitable organizations.  In more recent years, for the sake of economy, the Spanish tile roof was removed and replaced with asphalt, and siding has been put on over the clapboards.  Otherwise, the house continues to look as it did when it was built.