484 Beacon is located on the north side of Beacon, between Hereford and Massachusetts Avenue, with 482 Beacon to the east and 486 Beacon to the west.

484 Beacon was designed by Ernest N. Boyden, architect, and built in 1892-1893 for Eugene Hamilton Fay, for speculative sale, one of five contiguous houses (482-484-486-488-490 Beacon). He is shown as the owner on the original building permit applications for 484-490 Beacon, all dated June 11, 1892 (the application for 482 Beacon has not been located).

Eugene Fay purchased the land for 482-490 Beacon on May 3, 1892, from the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation.

The deeds from the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation for the land between Hereford and Massachusetts Avenue included language specifying that only dwellings and associated outbuildings (including stables) could be built on the land and that the buildings were to be set back 20 feet from Beacon. The deeds for the land between 460 Beacon and Massachusetts Avenue also included restrictions limiting to one story any building in the rear north of a line 90 feet from Beacon. On August 2, 1909, all of the owners of the property on the north side of Beacon between Hereford and Massachusetts Avenue (other than the Mt. Vernon Church) entered into an agreement to “continue for twenty years longer [to December 31, 1929] the existing freedom from irregular building and obstruction of view which they now enjoy from the rear portion of their houses.”

Click here for an index to the deeds for 484 Beacon, and click here for further information on the land on the north side of Beacon, including the Storrow Memorial Embankment on the Esplanade.

Eugene H. Fay and his wife, Emma Frances (Hutchins) Lewis Fay, lived in Chelsea. He was associated with Henry W. Savage, a real estate dealer, listing himself in the Boston City Directories as a clerk at the same address as Henry Savage.

On March 30, 1893, 484 Beacon was purchased from Eugene Fay by Eliza (Lila) (Sutton) Young, the widow of Harvard professor Ernest Young. Her mother, Mary (Hasbrouck) Sutton, the widow of textile manufacturer General Eben Sutton, lived with her. They previously had lived at 501 Beacon.  They also maintained a home in North Andover, where the Sutton Mills were located.

They continued to live at 484 Beacon during the 1897-1898 winter season, but moved thereafter. In June of 1899, Lila (Sutton) Young remarried to her second cousin, John Hasbrouck Scoville, a banker and broker.  Her grandfather, John L. Hasbrouck, was the brother of his grandmother, Elizabeth M. (Hasbrouck) Scoville, the wife of John Frederick Scoville.  By 1900, John and Lila Scoville were living in New York City and Mary Sutton was living in Cambridge. Lila (Sutton) Young Scoville continued to own 484 Beacon and lease it to others.

During 1898-1899 winter season, 484 Beacon was the home of William Jones Ladd and his wife, Anna Russell (Watson) Ladd.  William Ladd was a civil and mining engineer.  Their primary residence was in Milton.

484 Beacon was not listed in the 1900 Blue Book.

By 1900-1901 winter season, it was the home of Miss Ellen Maria Chandler.  She previously had lived at 346 Beacon.  She also maintained a home, Cleaveland House, in Brunswick, Maine. She continued to live at 484 Beacon until her death in April of 1908.

By 1909, 484 Beacon was the home of Dr. Francis P. Emerson and his wife, Rena P. (Colby) Emerson.  They previously had lived at 1075 Boylston.

Francis Emerson was an ear, nose, and throat specialist.  He also maintained his medical office at the house, along with Dr. Charles R. C. Borden, who lived in Brookline.  Francis and Rena Emerson continued to live there during the 1912-1913 season, after which they moved to Brookline.

On February 19, 1914, 484 Beacon was purchased from Lila (Sutton) Young Scoville by real estate dealer William J. Stober.

In 1916, 484 Beacon became the fraternity house of the Iota Tau chapter (MIT) of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. It previously had been located at 90 Westmoreland.

On July 1, 1921, the Massachusetts Iota-Tau Association acquired 484 Beacon from William Stober.

In March of 1960, the Iota-Tau Association acquired 480 Beacon and converted it into a second Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house.

The fraternity remained there until 1999.  In October of 1999, the Boston Licensing Board revoked the fraternity’s dormitory license because of illegal consumption of alcohol by minors and repeated complaints by neighbors.

On February 5, 2001, 484 Beacon was purchased from the Massachusetts Iota-Tau Association by the 484 Phi Alpha Foundation.

On October 6, 2001, 484 Beacon was purchased from the 484 Phi Alpha Foundation by the 484 Beacon Street LLC, a consortium of Eden Properties LLC (Michael Samuels, manager) and Samuels & Associates Holdings LLC (Steven B. Samuels, manager).

On January 27, 2003, it converted the house into four condominium units, The 484 Beacon Street Condominium