Known for decades as the Parsonage of Hingham’s iconic Old Ship Church, the historic Whiton House had undergone historic transformations from the Second Empire (Mansard) style to a simple three-tiered colonial.  Working with a visionary client, HMA used the house’s own varied history as precedent while replacing a late 20th century assembly with an addition that meets the needs of a contemporary family, while respecting the urban scale and historic streetscape of Hingham’s Main Street.   

The project included new program for a growing family that respects the urban scale and historic streetscape of Hingham’s Main Street.  Using standard materials and specifications, the project took an sensible approach to building in the tightly regulated Pear Tree Hill District by prioritizing appropriate height, scale, mass and window placement while providing substantial additional massing that is hidden from the Main Street view shed.   

The project was honored by the Hingham Historical Society with the 2026 W. Bradford Sprout Jr. Award for Historic Preservation (America’s 250th year), praising the project’s ability to combine historic presentation with modern adaptive re-use as a “model for historic homeowners and a real gift to the the Hingham community.”