Mary Baker Eddy House Copyright 1997, The First Church of Christ, Scientist. All Rights Reserved. Mary Baker Eddy Copyright 1997, The First Church of Christ, Scientist. All Rights Reserved. 53 Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910), religious founder Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist, purchased this Italianate house in the Lynn "Diamond District" in 1875 and lived there until 1881, in what she would call the “Christian Scientists’ Home.” The Diamond District became known as such because of the wealth of its inhabitants, many of whom had made money their fortunes making shoes. But by the late 1800s many of the larger homes had been converted to boardinghouses and the general make-up of the neighborhood was changing. The front parlor of the house became the first meeting place for what would become the Church of Christ, Scientist. Eddy lived and wrote in the attic and rented the other rooms to her followers. This period of time saw the development of her theories on health and Christianity evolve into the formal religion of Christian Science that Eddy formulated after recovering from a life-threatening accident. Just a few months after moving here, Eddy’s Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, the primary supplement to the Bible for Christian Science, was published. Despite many adversities, such as lawsuits against Eddy and her students, followers continued to meet in her home. In 1879, the Church of Christ, Scientist was officially chartered, and in 1881, Eddy chartered the Massachusetts Metaphysical College, the core of the fledgling religion and the forum for Eddy’s teachings. In 1881 members of the association ordained Eddy as the pastor, and the group decided to relocate to Boston. In 1995, Eddy was elected to the National Women’s Hall of Fame as the only American woman to found a worldwide religion. Mary Baker Eddy is buried in the Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. The Mary Baker Eddy House is located at 12 Broad St. in Lynn, MA, within the Diamond District Historic District. The house is owned by Longyear Museum and is open for tours by appointment. Please call 617-278-9000 for further information. Home | List of Sites | Main Map | Eastern MA Map | Next Site

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Last Modified: Monday, 30-Mar-98 15:42:58EST