October 15, 2025 by Geri Duff
In 1851, Master Mason and contractor, Albert Whiting, built a home at 1192 Main Street. His daughter, Henrietta, ran a lending library for the residents of South Hingham here. In 1950 the barn section was converted into a rest home and by 1975 was a dedicated nursing home. The entire building was turned into apartments in the 1990s. Queen Anne Nursing Home opened in 1976 on Recreation Park Drive, replacing the original Deering Nursing Home and the Main Street building was torn down, the land now vacant. Michael Shilhan used one of the Whiting house’s photographs on the cover his book: “When I Think of Hingham.” He used a more interesting photo, the “Witch” window on the inside flap. A slanted design that was believed by some to prevent witches from flying in an open window. This color photograph, taken of the time it was apartments, is from a private collection. The two black and white photographs used in Shilhan book are in the Hingham Historical Society’s archives.
