The link to Frank Navins house was interesting. It's not all that much bigger than mine, although it has a much better floor plan that can be made to look huge in pictures. Mine is about 3500 square feet compared to 4000. A few streets away there are some houses that are closer to 5000sqf+
The main former owner was initially a partner in a wholesale grocery, and became president of Amalgamated Graphite around 1909-10. So sort of a minor captain of industry.
Renovations to the house were done around then.
A bit later -late teens- he paid taxes on about 11,000 in income.
That was also enough for him to build a house on Marthas Vineyard.
A while ago I looked up the owner of a machine tool company that was here in town, and found his house, still there. He owned a large factory making lathes etc, and his place was also very modest.
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