Thirteen acres of land came under the ownership of Mrs. Anna Pingree Peabody, who purchased the property in 1903. She transformed the bare pastures into a beautiful estate, which she granted the name Floriana.

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In 1866, with the marriage of Anna Pingree to Joseph Peabody, came the union of two affluent families in Salem, Massachusetts. They acquired a mansion on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, where Anna, passionate about the arts, amassed a substantial collection of paintings, which she showcased in her homes: Floriana, her nearby country retreat, and The Breeze, her summer cottage in Bar Harbor, Maine. Her estate, upon her passing, contained 116 works of art, mostly by Boston-trained artists influenced by French impressionists, including Hermann Dudley Murphy, whose style and attention to picture framing were akin to those cherished by Mrs. Peabody.

 

After the passing of Mrs. Peabody in 1913, the estate changed hands several times in the following five decades. In 1966, the property was sold to the Greek Orthodox Community of Ipswich, whose growing numbers saw immense value in the property that boasted over thirteen acres of land including a three story mansion, swimming pool, tennis court, four-car garage, and horse stables.

 

With the help of numerous individuals, organizations, and community members, The Hellenic Center quickly became a beautiful and vibrant community and cultural center on the North Shore of Massachusetts. And due to its idyllic setting, the Hellenic Center also became a very desirable location for celebrations and events of all kinds – hosting its first wedding reception in June 1967, with countless more having followed ever since.