Further tales of the Giobbe House
This weekend I had the bittersweet pleasure of hearing from A.C. Frabetti, whose grandparents were the Giobbes. With his permission I'm sharing his e-mail in full here, because I think it really brings home the importance of saving these historical houses. More than wood and stained glass, they are spaces that have provided the settings for life.
Laura,
Thank you for posting about the Giobbe house. My grandmother had the house until it was sold less than a decade ago, and it became the last remnant of my childhood memories. You would have loved how she had some of the rooms, full of old clocks, chinaware, etc. With her passing, her children decided to sell it (too many ghosts of sorrow there). The subsequent owner wanted to restore it but I think he ran into trouble. I guess it was then sold to a developer, who transformed it as it sits now.
There is a bigger loss here than you can imagine. My grandfather (Ciro Giobbe) was a general family doctor who had his office in that house. There is a large number of people in Somerville who knew him (he died before I was born, many years ago). Since it was an office, much of the public would have seen the interior, and recalled the windows etc. A shame! When Somerville loses all of its historical treasures, it will cease to be a beautiful place to live.
- A.C. Frabetti
Mr. Frabetti also sent these photos, showing the architectural details inside the house, now lost forever.
So, once again, I'll exhort you to sign the petition to stop the continued destruction of the property on which the Giobbe house formerly sat. Find it at http://www.petitiononline.com/giobbe/petition.html, and be vigilant in your own neighborhood. Let's make the Giobbe house the last of these lost opportunities to preserve our city's history.
Laura,
Thank you for posting about the Giobbe house. My grandmother had the house until it was sold less than a decade ago, and it became the last remnant of my childhood memories. You would have loved how she had some of the rooms, full of old clocks, chinaware, etc. With her passing, her children decided to sell it (too many ghosts of sorrow there). The subsequent owner wanted to restore it but I think he ran into trouble. I guess it was then sold to a developer, who transformed it as it sits now.
There is a bigger loss here than you can imagine. My grandfather (Ciro Giobbe) was a general family doctor who had his office in that house. There is a large number of people in Somerville who knew him (he died before I was born, many years ago). Since it was an office, much of the public would have seen the interior, and recalled the windows etc. A shame! When Somerville loses all of its historical treasures, it will cease to be a beautiful place to live.
- A.C. Frabetti
Mr. Frabetti also sent these photos, showing the architectural details inside the house, now lost forever.
So, once again, I'll exhort you to sign the petition to stop the continued destruction of the property on which the Giobbe house formerly sat. Find it at http://www.petitiononline.com/giobbe/petition.html, and be vigilant in your own neighborhood. Let's make the Giobbe house the last of these lost opportunities to preserve our city's history.
posted by Laura at
11:43 AM
5 Comments:
My nameis Mike Giobbe
Ciro Giobbe was my father's first cousin. They both went to BC and Tufts Med together. My brother Ed stay in the One Benton road house one summer when he went ot harvard SummerSchool. My family and I visited it many times over the years.
Mike, thanks for taking the time to write. Do you have any stories or photos you'd like to share? I'm beginning to think the house would be a good subject for an art project! -- Laura
Mr. Giobbe was my doctor and delivered my baby girl,in 1962, I hope they save the house.
Your petition was closed at your request? Was about to sign it..
I had to close the petition in order to file it with the city on time. I talked to my neighbors and they said there was a possibility that the issue would come up in the May 6 Planning Board meeting. I was out of town last week, so I'm not sure if it was discussed, and if so, what was the outcome. I need to get current with the latest developments, and then I'll post the info on my blog. If the issue is scheduled for a later board meeting, there's a possibility that the petition could be reopened. Thanks for your support! L.
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