352 Beacon is located on north side of Beacon, between Fairfield and Gloucester, with 350 Beacon to the east and 354 Beacon to the west.

352 Beacon was designed by William R. Emerson, architect, and built in 1885-1886 by Lyman D. Willcutt, mason and contractor, as the home of Dr. Hasket Derby and his wife, Sarah (Mason) Derby.  The property was numbered 350 Beacon until about 1889.  He is shown as the owner of 352 Beacon on the original building permit application, dated November 6, 1885, and on the final building inspection report, dated December 2, 1886.

Hasket Derby purchased the land for 352 Beacon on July 22, 1885, from textile manufacturer Charles Walter Amory. He and his wife, Elizabeth (Gardner) Amory lived n Brookline and later would build a home at 278 Beacon.

The lot was part of two 25 foot wide lots that Charles Amory had acquired on May 22, 1885,
the eastern lot from Lewis Stackpole Dabney, who had purchased it from the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation on January 26, 1881, and the western lot from Arrhur W. Blake, part of a larger lot he had purchased on February 12, 1881, from Francis E. Parker (who had purchased it from the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation on January 24, 1881).

Click here for an index to the deeds for 352 Beacon, and click here for further information on the land on the north side of Beacon, including the Storrow Memorial Embankment on the Esplanade.

By the 1886-1887 winter season, Hasket and Sarah (Mason) Derby had made 352 Beacon their home.  They previously had lived at 1 Brimmer.  They also maintained a home in Bar Harbor.

He was an oculist and ophthalmologist, and maintained his offices with Dr. J. Orne Green at 182 Marlborough from 1887 until 1909.

The Derbys continued to live at 352 Beacon until 1910, when they moved to Milton.  He died in August of 1914, and she moved to 13 Hereford.

On April 15, 1910, 352 Beacon was purchased from Hasket Derby by the estate of sugar manufacturer and merchant Henry R. Reed. It became the home of his widow, Sarah A. (Brewster) Reed, and their unmarried daughters, Ida Bartlett Reed, Emily Spaulding Reed, and Mary Taylor Reed. They previously had lived in an apartment at 333 Commonwealth.  They also maintained a home in Marion.

Mary T. Reed traveled to Europe in December of 1916 to engage in war relief work.  She remained there until after the war.

Sarah Reed died in 1919, and by 1920, Ida and Emily Reed were living at the Hotel Somerset.

On August 2, 1920, 352 Beacon was purchased from Henry Reed’s estate by Jane Wallis (Waldron-Barron) Bancroft, the wife of Hugh Bancroft. They previously had lived at 253 Newbury. They also maintained a home, Deer Hill, in Cohasset.

Hugh Bancroft was an attorney.  Jane Bancroft’s step-father was Clarence Walker Barron of 334 Beacon, who owned the controlling interest in Dow, Jones & Company and was publisher of the Wall Street Journal and Barron’s National Financial Weekly.  Hugh Bancroft joined Clarence Barron’s publishing enterprises and, after Clarence Barron’s death in October of 1928, he became publisher of the Wall Street Journal.

Hugh Bancroft died in October of 1933.  After his death, Jane Bancroft assumed control of Dow, Jones & Co.  She continued to live at 352 Beacon and in Cohasset until her death in December of 1949.

On April 6, 1950, 352 Beacon was acquired by real estate dealer Joseph Goodman and architect Herman L. Feer. In April of 1950, Joseph Goodman filed for (and subsequently received) permission to convert the property from a single-family dwelling into seven apartments, with the remodeling designed by Herman Feer.

On August 29, 1956, Herman Feer acquired Joseph Goodman’s interest in the property, and on March 1, 1957, it was purchased from him by George J. Colantino and Charles G. Martignette, trustees of the Three-Fifty-Two Realty Trust.

On August 1, 1958, 352 Beacon was acquired from George Colantino and Charles Martignette by Edgen Realty, Inc. (Edward Greenfield, treasurer). It owned the property for the twenty-four years.

On November 15, 1982, 352 Beacon was purchased from Edgren Realty by Diane Perry, trustee of The River View Investment Trust. In December of 1983, she applied for permission to change the occupancy from seven apartments to six apartments and one law office.  Her application was denied and her appeal was dismissed by the Board of Appeal.

In November of 1983, Victor A. Conklin purchased 352 Beacon from Diane Perry.  In October of 1984, he applied for (and subsequently received) permission to construct a penthouse.  In February he 1985, he transferred the property to himself as trustee of the 352 Beacon Street Trust.  In March of 1985, he applied for permission to construct a garage at the rear of the property.  His application was denied and his appeal was dismissed without prejudice by the Board of Appeal.

On November 29, 1982, 352 Beacon was purchased from Diane Perry by Victor A. Conklin. In October of 1984, he applied for (and subsequently received) permission to construct a penthouse. On February 1,1985, he transferred the property to himself as trustee of The 352 Beacon Street Trust. In March of 1985, he applied for permission to construct a garage at the rear of the property. His application was denied and his appeal was dismissed without prejudice by the Board of Appeal.

In January of 1986, Vincent Mascia replaced Victor Conklin as trustee of The 352 Beacon Street Trust. In August of 1986, he applied for (and subsequently received) permission to construct a three-car garage at the rear of the building.

On September 11, 1986, Vincent Mascia converted the property into seven condominium units, the 352 Beacon Street Condominium.