118 Gardner Road

118Gardner.jpg

Title

118 Gardner Road

Description

Year Built:
Permit Date:
1926
6/4/1926
Architect:
Samuel S. Levy
Builder:
Barnet Wolek
Cost to Build:
$12,000
Owner 
(On Permit Date):
Frank Y. Clark, Boston
First Residents:
Barnet & Sophie Wolek

Barnet Wolek, a builder, real estate developer, and lumber company executive, built this house for his family (wife Sophie, children Samuel, Rose, and Louis) in 1926. Wolek was also the builder of one other Blake Park house, 46 Blake Road. Born in Russia in 1884, Barnet came to the U.S. with his new wife Sophie, who was two years younger, in 1904. He was treasurer of the Belmont Lumber Company for 35 years before retiring in 1964. He died at the home he had built, 118 Gardner, in 1974.

The Wolek's two sons, Samuel and Louis, lived with them at 118 Gardner Road for several years. Louis, the younger son, was last listed in the Street List at this address in 1933. Samuel, who was a builder and contractor, possibly working with his father, was listed here through 1938.

The Wolek's middle child, daughter Rose (1908-1999), married Harold D. Elliott (1902-1984), an optometrist, around 1940, and continued to live at the house until 1975 or 1976. Sophie, who was last shown in the Street List in 1940, presumably died around that time.

The 1930 U.S. Census showed the residents as: Barnet Wolek, 47, developer (real estate); Sophie Wolek, 45; Samuel Wolek, 24, builder (contractor); Rose Wolek, 21; and Louis Wolek, 18. The house was valued at $20,000.

Date

1926

Original Format

photo