Image 1: Charles Bulfinch by Mather Brown, 1786 (courtesy of the Harvard Art Museums).
Charles Bulfinch was born in Boston in August 1763 to Thomas and Susan Bulfinch. He earned a master’s degree from Harvard University in 1784 and would go on to revolutionize American architecture, becoming a leading figure in what became known as the Federal Style. On 20 November 1788, he married Hannah Apthorp, his maternal cousin. Shortly after their marriage, Bulfinch’s architectural career began to flourish. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1791 and, among his many notable works, designed the Massachusetts State House in 1798. During this period, he refined the Federal Style, transforming it into the elegant, distinctly American style that we recognize today.
The Federal Style is characterized by Romantic influences drawn from Greek and Roman architecture, evident in its ornamentation—columns, arches, and, most importantly, symmetry. It also incorporated uniquely American elements, such as the bald eagle, signaling the nation’s new identity. The influence of this style can be seen throughout Boston—not only in the Massachusetts State House (1798) but also in the original Bunker Hill Memorial (1794), the New North Church (1802–1804), and private residences such as the Harrison Gray Otis Houses (1796–1805) and the Nichols House (1804).
Image 1: First Otis House Front Elevation design by Charles Bulfinch, 1796 (courtesy of Historic New England).
Despite his great success as an architect, Bulfinch faced financial difficulties throughout his life. In fact, he was briefly held in a debtor’s prison in July 1817. One of his most ambitious ventures was the purchase of a large tract of land along modern-day Washington Street on Boston’s Beacon Hill, with the goal of creating a luxurious neighborhood for wealthy residents. This development would become known as Tontine Crescent and Franklin Place.
Bulfinch and his fellow investors spent over $17,000 in 1793—equivalent to roughly four million dollars today—just to acquire the land. Despite carefully crafted advertisements and the elegant designs of the homes, the venture ultimately failed. Interest in Tontine Crescent was insufficient, and Bulfinch, who had invested the most, was left bankrupt.
Image 1: United States Capitol Dome elevation, by Charles Bulfinch, between 1819 and 1828 (courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division).
Not to be kept down for long, Bulfinch went on to serve on Boston’s board of selectmen and even briefly held the role of police and fire superintendent. In 1818, he was appointed Architect of the Capitol, where he designed the new Capitol Building after the original was burned during the War of 1812. He remained in this position until 1830, when he returned to Boston. Bulfinch passed away in April 1844 and was laid to rest in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts—a fitting resting place for one of Boston’s most celebrated architects.
Sources:
1. “Charles Bulfinch.” The West End Museum. https://new.thewestendmuseum.org/history/era/west-boston/charles-bulfinch/#1638209090879-02135515-8ed5.
2. Wickersham, Jay. “The Financial Misadventures of Charles Bulfinch.” The New England Quarterly 83, no. 3 (2010)” 413-481. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20752713.
3. FindAGrave.com, memorial no. 7004576. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7004576/charles-bulfinch.
4. Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988; Charles Bulfinch and Hannah Apthorp, 1788. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/8529983:2495.