Standish Manor or “The Meadows,” consisted of a modernized farmhouse, with about 700 acres of land. On this land were three farmhouses with outbuildings for the farmers. The main structure was a square old-fashioned mansion. Considerable extensions had been added making an attractive home with twenty-five rooms, five tiled bathrooms, one servant’s bathroom and two toilet rooms, with all the conveniences of a modern house. The house was attractively papered and was well furnished. The play room, with mission furniture, and its great fireplace was often used for home dances; and an old barn, transformed in to a simple studio, was not without its charm.
The home stood on a moderate prominent piece of ground that sloped gradually on three sides for over a quarter of a mile in each direction. The grounds consisted of fine grassland of about 60 acres, fringed with beautiful pine woods extending in a semicircle.
The property included about 10,000 feet of lake front, controlling and protecting the entire residential part. Included in this frontage was an island of 12 acres in the center of the lake (White’s Island), connected with the mainland by a narrow road, all elevated ground, and commanding a beautiful view of East and West Monponsett.
This description was found in a small pamphlet that belongs to a family member. This picturesque story of the Manor allows one to visualize what it truly must have been like so many years ago.
In 1911, the owners sold the property to Miss Myers and Miss Cullingford for a girl’s school.
Respectfully Submitted ~ Sue Basile
