User:Mark at CLOC/sandbox

Bridgefields Hall
or Skull House, or The Inn at West Falmouth, or Poppenessett West

Construction
The large estate at 54 Chapoquoit Road was built for Philadelphia Quaker Sara M. Skull after the death of her husband, Edward Lawrence Scull. It was designed in 1895 by J. William Beal (1855-1919), a well known Boston architect, who was also responsible for many houses on nearby Chapoquoit Island. The house was called Bridgfields Hall. It stood beside the bridge to Chapoquoit Island and was a short walk across the field to the West Falmouth Quaker meeting house and the village library, both of which Mrs. Scull supported. The Hall is unusual for the area in its use of medieval half-timbering rather than the wood shingles that distinguish most of its contemporaries. Tudor Revival style details like this are more commonly associated with suburban residential development. Nevertheless, a general air of rusticity, coupled with cross-gables, overhanging roof-lines, and numerous verandahs to interweave interior and exterior spaces, clearly relate this house to others of its "summer house" type. One of its most striking features is the native West Falmouth granite chimney that rises through and dominates the facade.

Sale and Conversion to inn
The Scull family sold the house to a group of Harvard professors, who in turn sold it to Mrs. Katherine A. Montgomery in 1911. Mrs. Montgomery established the West Falmouth Inn in 1912. It would later be known simply as "The Inn." Twin cottages were built overlooking Chapoquoit Harbour in the mid-1930's. The inn function was continued by Mr. and Mrs. Roger S. Phillips of Weston who purchased the property after Mrs. Montgomery's death in 1948. They added to the property in the 60's with the construction of a caretaker's cottage directly behind the Hall and a staff dormitory building situated at the far east corner of the estate. It was around this time that a wing was added to the Hall to accommodate a cocktail lounge known as "The Pony Room." In the early 1970's, Hilda Coppage, a well known local restaurateur, operated Popponessett West out of the large industrial kitchen which had also been added to the Hall. The property was subsequently purchased by town benefactor, Josiah K. Lilly III, who left his mark by creating the large pond in the center of the grounds.

Home of College Light Opera Company
Mr. Lilly undertook several repairs to the property at his own expense in preparation for renting it to the College Light Opera Company. A swimming pool and tennis courts were removed, structural beams were replaced and reinforcements were added to the sagging Hall. The College Light Opera Company moved in in 1975 and purchased the property from Mr. Lilly in 1979.