Royal Barry Wills and His Architectural Legacy in Wilbraham

Royal Barry Wills (1895–1962) was one of the most influential American residential architects of the twentieth century, best known for refining the Cape Cod house during the Colonial Revival period of the 1930s through the 1950s. His work helped define a style that became synonymous with New England domestic architecture, modest in scale, carefully proportioned, and rooted in regional tradition.

Royal Barry Wills, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in 1918. Wikipedia

Wilbraham is home to nearly a dozen houses attributed to Wills, a notable concentration for a town of its size. These homes are scattered throughout the community, quietly blending into the town’s residential landscape. One of the most recognizable examples stands at 188 Main Street, built in 1949. While modest in size, the house clearly reflects Wills’ design principles. For many residents, it is especially memorable for the larger-than-life Three Wise Men figures displayed annually during the Christmas season, a long-standing holiday tradition that has made the house a local landmark.

Drawings depict the two-story Cape Cod house with a saltbox two-car garage at 188 Main Street. Historic New England

Born in Melrose, Massachusetts, Wills graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1918 with a degree in architectural engineering. After working as a design engineer for the Turner Construction Company in Boston, he began developing his own architectural practice. By publishing sketch plans and answering reader questions in Boston newspapers, he built a reputation that led to steady commissions. In 1925, he became a registered architect and opened his own office in Boston, later relocating to Beacon Hill as his practice grew.

Wills’ Cape Cod designs were distinguished by their careful attention to scale and proportion. Typical features included low profiles, steeply pitched roofs, multi-pane sash windows, graduated clapboards, and a prominent central chimney, often larger than those found on earlier colonial houses. These elements were not intended as reproductions of historic homes but as contemporary houses that respected traditional forms while accommodating modern living, including updated kitchens, bathrooms, and garages.

In 1938, Life magazine invited both modern and traditional architects to design homes for families in various income ranges. In the moderate-income category, Wills’ traditional design was chosen over a modern proposal by Frank Lloyd Wright, highlighting the broad appeal of his approach. Though deeply associated with New England, Wills designed homes across the United States and Canada, including housing projects, churches, and residential developments. Notably, he designed a large defense-worker housing complex in Springfield during World War II.

Wills was also an author, publishing eight books on residential architecture that influenced both architects and builders. His willingness to provide partial design services and adapt plans made his work accessible and practical. In recognition of his contributions, he received the Certificate of Honor from the Massachusetts State Association of Architects in 1949 and was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1954.

Royal Barry Wills died in Boston in 1962, but his influence endures. His firm, now known as Royal Barry Wills Associates, continues to operate today. In Wilbraham, his homes remain valued not only for their craftsmanship and design integrity, but also for how naturally they fit into the town’s character, quietly reinforcing the enduring appeal of traditional New England architecture.