The Boy Physician - 144 State Street

Next to the Pitkin home is a lovely house built in what’s known as the Gothic Revival Classic Cottage style, and after that is another Greek Revival beauty. This was built sometime around the 1820s by James Spaulding, who was Montpelier’s chief surgeon. His son William followed in his father's footsteps, beginning his studies at the age of...7. He came along so quickly that he was known as the “boy physician”.

We are nearing the intersection of Main and School Streets now, and as you walk further in that direction you’ll get a look at a few more examples of the variety and beauty of the city’s architecture, in particular two more gorgeous examples of the French Second Empire style. The one right next to the Unitarian Church belonged to James G. French, a wealthy merchant who built our first post office that is now located in Pitkin Court behind the fire station. He also built the largest city block on Main Street, which we’ll see in Tour #5.