Built for Margaret Fogg in 1915. Design by John Howard Stevens.

In 1898, John Calvin Stevens brought his son, John Howard, into the firm. John Howard Stevens would become a full partner in 1904. 320 Danforth Street is an example of his ideas and those of a creative and involved client.

The Arts and Crafts Style was ascendant in the early 20th century with Gustav Stickley acting as the driving force with the Craftsman magazine and the Craftsman Farm project in New Jersey. Our subject home is contemporary to Stickley’s time and ideas.

Set on the southeast side of Danforth and overlooking the Fore River, the house presents a low sweepiñg roof covering 2 floors to the street while opening to a full 3 stories on the riverside. The street-side has a deep overhang with the windows grouped. The wall surface is pebble-dashed stucco.

The entrance, above, is well thought out with the heavily detailed entry drawing a visitor in. I particularly enjoy the way the very Frank Lloyd Wright influenced trellis helps carry the eye up to the window box and window in the cross gable. The house is currently undergoing major renovation thus the need for the orange traffic cones.

Stevens was particularly adept at giving these more utilitarian parts of a house such an inviting character. Watch out for that trip hazard!

The house remains in remarkably original condition 101 years on.

It’s something of a shame that the strip of grass at the front has been replaced by mature shrubbery. It changes the relationship with the street in a dramatic way.

Margaret Fogg died in 1952 leaving the home to her sister Mary Bosworth. In her will, probated on Nov 6, 1952, Margaret states

” I devise my Portland residence, with land pertaining to in the same, located on Danforth Street, to my sister, Mary Wood Bosworth, to her and her heirs forever. It is my hope that one of her children will desire to make a home in Portland and I would like to see the Danforth Street place go to such child in order that it may continue in our family.”

The property was deeded to Henry & Jocelyn Pollard on Jan 6, 1953. The Pollard family sold the property to the current owners in 2014.