In 1911, five years after their marriage, the Whittalls engaged the firm of Norcross Brothers to build a home for them northeast of Worcester, in Shrewsbury, on one hundred acres of land that had been cobbled together from seven separate pieces of property on Meetinghouse Hill (now Prospect Park). The site they selected was located on the highest point of land in the town, with spectacular views of Lake Quinsigamond and, beyond Worcester, to the hills of Paxton and Rutland, to the north, Mt. Wachusett and Mt. Monadnock could be seen.
In 1912, the Whittalls moved into their two-story Georgian manor, which they had named Juniper Hall. The Wise Garden Encyclopedia states that juniper is the ancient name for "forever young," rather an apt description of the dynamic couple who built the house. There are photographs of the exterior of Juniper Hall and some of the interior filmed by William Wallace, director of the Worcester Historical Museum, on the morning in 1979 when wrecking crews were demolishing the building. These photographs, which can be viewed in the Historical Museum library, show a reception hall of baronial proportions, extending into the second floor, with five rooms beyond the hall; four bedrooms and a sitting room composed the second floor. A sun porch that over-looked the gardens was a handsome appendage to the facade. The photographs of the interior and exterior of Juniper Hall reflect the taste of individuals who demanded the highest quality in construction, grace, and beauty in each room, and not a little grandeur.
Both Matthew and Gertrude Whittall were knowledgeable and dedicated gardeners, and Juniper Hall was surrounded by formal gardens and terraces with steps leading to pavilions and a reflecting pool. Beyond the formal areas thousands of iris were planted in the meadows and woods. According to some accounts, the estate also boasted a swimming pool, which must have been a rather rare feature in 1912.
Lilac Week at Juniper Hall was a much anticipated annual event for garden lovers of the day when the gardens were opened to the public. Under the direction of co-founder Gertrude Whittall, The Worcester Garden Club held its first formal flower show on the grounds of Juniper Hall in 1922. Five classes of entrants were listed on the schedule: garden, green house, and wild flowers, table decorations, and artistic arrangements.
The Whittalls were notable hosts, a talent that followed Gertrude Whittall into her later years in Washington, D.C., where she became a major figure in the cultural life of that city, Matthew Whittall, too, despite being a gentleman of modest demeanor, was nationally known as one of America's industrial giants and he numbered among his close friends such trade magnates as Marshall Field and John Wanamaker. Notable among the guests at Juniper Hall was Vice-President Calvin Coolidge in the summer of 1922, one year before he became the thirtieth president of the United States.
Matthew Whittall died on October 31, 1922, at the age seventy-nine. He had remained active in his business and community affairs, as well as in the cultivation of his gardens at Juniper Hall, until the end of his life. In his remembrances of his father, his son, Matthew P, Whittall, known as Percy, noted his great love of flowers. He wrote, "I truly believe if he were called to choose between a coat of paint or a garden, he would have chosen a garden."
by Sid Callahan 2011 - member of the Lost gardens Project
