About the Tour
While living here in a second-floor apartment, Mary Baker Eddy experienced a severe injury, and her subsequent recovery through prayer alone set her life on a new course. She later referred to Swampscott as the “birthplace of Christian Science.”
As you tour this house and its nearby companion, the Mary Baker Eddy Historic House in Lynn, Massachusetts, informative guides will introduce you to these dramatic events, and to the labors and achievements of a remarkable woman who would go on to become one of the most famous in the United States. You’ll also learn about the details of day-to-day life in the latter half of the 19th century.
Tour also includes the Mary Baker Eddy Historic House in Lynn and concludes there.
Tour duration: 90 minutes, plus 15 minutes of travel time between the two houses
Buy TicketsLocation
23 Paradise Rd.
Swampscott,
MA
01907
Admission
Adults (18+): $15 (includes tour of Lynn house)
Youths (7–17): $7.50
Children (under 7): Free
Members: Free (View membership information.)
For groups of 10 or more, or if you have questions, please call 617.278.9000.
Hours
May 1 through Oct. 31, 2025:
Thursday through Saturday, 10–4 P.M., Sunday, 1–4 P.M.
On Thursday through Saturday, tours begin at 10 A.M. and 1 P.M. On Sunday, tours start at 1 and 3 P.M.
Frequently Asked Questions
The tour involves standing, walking, some climbing of stairs, and only limited opportunity for sitting.
- The Swampscott House: This house is not accessible.
- The Lynn House: A lift is available for access to the first-floor parlor and exhibit, as well as restrooms on the lower level. An alternative experience is available since the second and third floors are not accessible. If you use a wheelchair or will be accompanied by a service animal, please indicate this when you purchase tickets.
Backpacks and large bags are not permitted.
Food or drinks, including water bottles and children’s drink containers, are not permitted inside the house.
Yes. Photography with a handheld device is permitted for personal use. Flash photography is not allowed, nor is the use of selfie sticks. No photos or videos, whether of the inside or outside, may be used or published in print or online for any commercial or academic purposes without permission. Professional/commercial photographers and members of the media should contact the Office of Communication at 617.278.9000 x 250.
Strollers are not permitted in either house, and parents should plan on carrying very young children during the tour.
The tour begins at 23 Paradise Road, Swampscott, MA 01907. Free parking is available in the small turnaround to the left of the house.
Free parking is also available at 8 Broad Street, in the lot behind the house. Visitors are expected to provide their own transportation between the two houses.
Explore Other Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
May 1 through Oct. 31, 2025:
Friday and Saturday, 10–5 P.M., Sunday, 1–5 P.M.
On Friday and Saturday, tours begin at 10 A.M., 12, and 2 P.M. On Sunday, tours start at 1 and 3 P.M.
Rumney, New Hampshire
May 1 through Oct. 31, 2025:
Guided tours only by prior appointment.
Please call 617.278.9000 to schedule a tour. Minimum 72-hour (three-day) notice required.
Concord, New Hampshire
May 1 through Oct. 31, 2025:
Guided tours only by prior appointment.
Please call 617.278.9000 to schedule a tour. Minimum 72-hour (three-day) notice required.
Stoughton, Massachusetts
May 1 through Oct. 31, 2025:
Guided tours only by prior appointment.
Please call 617.278.9000 to schedule a tour. Minimum 72-hour (three-day) notice required.
North Groton, New Hampshire
May 1 through Oct. 31, 2025:
Guided tours only by prior appointment.
Please call 617.278.9000 to schedule a tour. Minimum 72-hour (three-day) notice required.
Amesbury, Massachusetts
May 1 through Oct. 31, 2025:
Friday and Saturday from 12 to 3 P.M.
Tours start at 12, 1, and 2 P.M.
Lynn, Massachusetts
May 1 through Oct. 31, 2025:
Thursday through Saturday, 10–4 P.M., Sunday, 1–4 P.M.
On Thursday through Saturday, tours begin at 10 A.M. and 1 P.M. On Sunday, tours start at 1 and 3 P.M.
The Story
In late 1865, after a series of moves, Mrs. Eddy and her second husband, Daniel Patterson, rented an apartment on the second floor of this house on Paradise Road. Daniel Patterson joined a dental practice in the booming nearby shoe-manufacturing city of Lynn. They both participated in the life of the community—especially Mary, who wrote for the newspapers, attended church, and participated in Temperance meetings.
In February 1866, on her way to one such meeting, Mary fell on an icy sidewalk. She sustained severe internal injuries, according to the attending physician. Several newspapers reported on the accident and held out little hope for her recovery. Mary was brought back to this apartment in critical condition, barely able to move, let alone walk. The prognosis was dire: If she survived, she might never live a normal life. But it seemed she might not survive.
Friends kept watch day and night. Her minister was called for. On Sunday, lying helplessly in bed, she turned to her Bible. An account of Jesus healing the sick inspired a moment of profound insight and she found herself able to get up and cross the room unaided. Her friends were amazed. “This is all through prayer,” she assured them. Over 50 years later, one witness still recalled vividly the events of that weekend.
Soon after Mary’s remarkable recovery, the house was sold, and the Pattersons moved to a succession of rented rooms. During these months, Daniel Patterson deserted his wife, who found herself impoverished, still frail, and alone. But this healing, here, marked such a turning point in her thought that she once referred to Swampscott as the “birthplace of Christian Science.”
Years Mary Baker Eddy Lived Here
1865–1866
Highlight
While renting rooms in this house, Mrs. Eddy had a transformative healing that led to her discovery of Christian Science.
House Fact
The house is slated for restoration in 2026.
The House
In 1866, Mrs. Eddy wrote a real estate ad for this house at her landlord’s request, describing “a gracefully sloping lawn—a fountain of crystal water beautifully bordered by the weeping willow—fruit trees ranged in stately rows.” Today, the orchard is gone, and the grounds are smaller, but they have been beautifully restored to a period-inspired landscape design. Inside, period details also grace the upstairs parlor, bedrooms, and kitchen, which are furnished in typical 19th-century style.
This house was one of the first to be purchased by philanthropist and historic preservation pioneer Mary Beecher Longyear, who tracked it down in 1920. Along with houses in North Groton and Rumney, New Hampshire, and Amesbury, Massachusetts, where Mrs. Eddy once lived and worked, this residence forms the earliest part of Longyear Museum’s collection.
