Oliver T. Roberts, 1850-1922

The son of a Salem sea captain, he was the senior partner of the building firm of Roberts and Hoare, builders of the great vacation cottages built on the North Shore during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

 

 

 

Hollis L. Roberts, 1882-1955

Under the creative leadership of Hollis Roberts the firm continued to design and build significant estates in the popular Colonial Revival Style.

Reginald W. Holt 

After World War II, residential construction shifted from the building of large estates to more modest single family homes. During this time the firm, headed by Reginald Holt, shifted its focus and continued to work on large projects related to the expansion of college campuses and the restoration of historic properties.

Stephen Roberts Holt

After graduating from The Yale School of Architecture, Stephen Holt headed the preservation department of the firm that restored Colonial Williamsburg. With his years of education and experience he continues the architectural traditions established by Roberts and Hoare. He has preserved and renovated many of the grand Shingle Style cottages originally built by his family in Manchester-by-the-Sea.  He designs clubs, private schools and many new award-winning residences throughout New England.

Manchester-by-the-Sea
Late 19th and Early 20th centuries

The rapid growth of the summer population marked the beginning of a dramatic expansion of Manchester’s town environment and economy. As summer mansions were built, the village grew to support them. Electric and water distribution systems, grocery stores, banks, lumber yards, pharmacies, Horticultural Hall, yacht and country clubs were all part of an infrastructure which supported the services required by wealthy patrons.

Roberts and Hoare built all of these town buildings and the infrastructure as an adjunct to the hundreds of estates and homes they constructed. Manchester-by-the-Sea flowered during this period, shaping the town that exists today.

The Work of Stephen Roberts Holt, Architects
Present Day Manchester-by-the-Sea

Stephen Holt has spent most of his career working in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts. In addition to preserving and renovating many of the grand Shingle Style cottages originally built by his family, his firm has created many distinctive new houses in a variety of styles.

 

 

Click on the map icon below to view his work.

Our History

Our firm had its beginnings in the late 19th century when Manchester-by-the-Sea was a rustic fishing village surrounded by farmland. The Industrial Revolution afforded new prosperity, and both the firm and the town grew rapidly due to their popularity with wealthy Boston families.  City dwellers found refuge from the summer heat as well as an idyllic coastal setting in which to build their vacation homes. Roberts and Hoare, during their most active period, employed over 200 men, whose craftsmanship was due in part to the areas long tradition of ship building and cabinet making. They built most of the summer estates on Boston’s North Shore.

Stephen Roberts Holt Architects continues this tradition of providing significant residential architecture in Manchester-by-the-Sea and throughout New England.