The house, a four-story brick row house with Georgian elements, is one of three adjoining “Swan Houses” built by a wealthy widow for her daughters. Throughout their stormy marriage, Julia and her husband made contributions to many humanitarian causes. It was said of Julia Ward Howe that in the last third of the 19th century, “no movement or ‘cause’ in which women were interested, from suffrage, to pure milk for babies, could be launched without her.” The property is a private residence and not open to the public.