The Shirley-Eustis House

preserving Roxbury’s history

The Shirley-Eustis House was built in Roxbury during the period 1747 – 1751 by William Shirley, Royal Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony. The House is only one of four remaining Colonial Governors’ mansions in the country. The imposing design is attributed to Peter Harrison, “America’s first architect”.  It is a National Historic Landmark.

From 1747 to the present
The House represents an unusually long continuum in American history, serving as the home of two distinguished Governors –one Royal and one Federal (William Eustis). The House has also been occupied by, among others, the Massachusetts Sixth Regiment of Foot when it served as a Revolutionary War barracks during the Siege of Boston in 1775; Jean-Baptiste Cesar du Buc, the Haitian counselor to Louis XVI of France; Captain James Magee, an Irish-American who prospered in the China Trade, and scores of other immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Guided tours are given June 1st through September. The Shirley Eustis House is frequently used for community gatherings, business meetings, private celebrations, weddings and formal events of all kinds.