gore place

We recently went to the Gore Mansion for their once a month night time tour, "Full Moon Tour: Living in the Dark". Our guide was dressed in period clothing and gave us a tour of the mansion which was very dimly lit to simulate what it was like to live without electricity. This is not a spooky tour, rather, it is highly informative, interesting, fun. The house itself which is a local historic gem that sadly a lot of people don't seem to know about, has been referred to as the "Monticello of the North" which describes it well; construction was completed in 1806. There's a lot more to the area than what you find on the Freedom Trail - head out to Waltham!

This is an impressive house from the early 1800s when there were very few large houses. The furniture pieces in the rooms are beautiful. The tour lasts around 45 min and is very well done by the guides. The grounds are also very good. It may not seem that impressive from the outside but don't let that fool you. The inside is worth seeing. The admission is $12

We toured the estate on a Monday afternoon in early June. While the house is not breathtaking - it's not one of the Newport Mansions, after all - it is a good example of the way rich folks lived in the first half of the nineteenth century. The height of the ceilings in some of the rooms used for entertaining, which I estimated to be about 20 feet, was very impressive. One caution is that the tour involves several narrow, steep staircases, so if you would have a problem negotiating those perhaps you should reconsider your plans to visit the attraction.We found the two staff members with whom we dealt to be friendly and accommodating, especially the young woman who checked us in and sold us our tickets. The single time available for touring each day, 1 PM, is somewhat inconvenient because you have to time it just right, which means eating either a very early or a very late lunch. They must have changed their policy since 2011, because we arrived about 15 minutes early and we were welcomed inside and allowed to sit and wait in that room off to the side with all the tables and chairs, a different experience from what an earlier reviewer mentioned.The day we were there, people were putting together the apparatus for a trapeze school which will be located on the grounds, so that will be an added feature. Circus Smirkus also makes an annual appearance there; this year they will be on the grounds July 25-27.We didn't spend a lot of time touring the grounds, although we did walk around a bit and what we saw was very nice. Other reviewers have covered that part pretty well, and also mentioned the farm stand which is on the property.All in all, the almost two hours which we spent at Gore Place were quite pleasant, and well worth our time.

The style of this house was incredible. This is a Federal Period home of Massachusetts Governor, Christopher Gore. The home is filled with antique furnishings and paintings. The tours are given each day at 1:00. One tip is that you can get free tickets for the tour at the Waltham and Watertown Library. There is also a small discount if you have an AARP card or AAA. The grounds are beautiful and peaceful and there is a working farm on the grounds. The farm has chickens, goats, pigs, and a llama. There is also an organic farm stand for vegetables and you can purchase plants. There are benches all around the property so you can sit and relax. The fellow giving the tour was excellent and gave us a wealth of information to carry home with us. There are many stairs in the house leading to the bedrooms so if that is a problem for anyone, it is important to note. I would recommend visiting this hidden treasure in Waltham and taking the tour is a must!

@ their annual "Sheep shearing festival" enjoy local foods, crafts, and children's activities with the added attraction of observing sheep being sheared without having to leave the city!

The grounds were beautiful. They are open to the public without charge although the house tour does cost a nominal amount. They are embarking upon an ambitious project of relocating the carriage house. It's a lovely place to just stroll around at your leisure!

This is a bit different, I usually review restaurants, but this place was so good, I am adding my review of Gore Place. I don't think picture taking is allowed; I did not ask, so there are no pics. I went there with friends for a night tour (September, not so dark as in the winter). Parking - great!presentation - the guide (Stu) was most engaging! His easy going style kept our attention. He was a wealth of interesting information about the history post -revolution and the early 1800s. What is great is that he also talked about the ongoing renovations, the discoveries of the "forensic researchers," and new information that is being uncovered. house - this house was surprisingly interesting, full of great unusual architecture (the staircase is amazing), and the rooms are very unusual. Some rooms were hotter than others (ceilings play a role here), and if it is the winter that you choose to go, (I did many years ago) it may be REALLY cold in the house. The tour lasts around 1-1.5 hours, and is worth every moment, if you like history, architecture, and connections with famous artists, and famous people like Daniel Webster!

I thought the young lady Tamara was very informative. I learned things I never knew existed back in 1816. Quite a surprise!

Great place to enjoy the circus. Well organized to handle crowds and lots of cars. The grounds are lovely.

As always depends on the guide but they are usually very good here. A bit pricier ticket than most ($12) houses but it is a bigger house too!Not open alot of hours but if you can arrange your day it is worth the trip.Try seeing Lyman in the morning and Gore in the afternoon.Great grounds to play around and a farm with chickens if you have kids who need outdoor time.

I'd wanted to tour the house ever since it was on the cover of a magazine about colonial Williamsburg. During the Sheep Shearing festival, I finally went inside the mansion. Only the first floor is open to the public, and they are always working on restoration. Concerts, teas, decorated for the holidays, showshoeing in the winter on the grounds. Hard to imagine that Waltham was once "the country" to Boston residents. One of several historic houses in Waltham, well worth seeing.

Our daughter was married here. The grounds were beautiful and the building was terrific. There is also a working farm with a popular green market.

If you're near Waltham, MA make it a point to visit Gore Place.Great architecture dating back to the 1800s. Much of the furniture and decor inside the mansion is original. The mansion served as a summer home for Christopher and Rebecca Gore until 1816, when they began to live rhere year round. The architecture of the mansion was influenced by English and French buildings that Rebecca had seen and adnmired during their time in Europe. The grounds are magnificent with very old trees throughout. The 45-minute tour is informative and very interesting.

You won't find another house or estate like this in the greater Boston Area. Walking the grounds takes you back to the 1800's and you feel like you just stepped through a history book.

The grounds of the Gore Estate are beautiful, and many old traditions were handed down by the Gore's. It is a family place to go and learn about some marked history.