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Originally known simply as Graphics Studio, this building was converted to its current use between 1972 and 1974 through a grant from the Putnam Foundation. Before this transformation, the building served as both a powerhouse and pump house for the property. Well water was drawn from a large cistern and pumped to Hillcrest, the Foreman’s Cottage, and several lower buildings closer to Union Street (which have since been demolished). The building also housed an engine that powered equipment including a planer, stationary saw, corn shellers, and a grinding wheel.
The east ell, once an open woodshed distinguished by three wooden arches, was enclosed and converted in 1974 into a visual artists’ studio and photographers’ darkroom. The west end of the studio was outfitted with lithography and intaglio printing presses, along with sinks and ventilation to support a wide range of printmaking processes. A complete renovation of the space was funded in 1995 by David and Rosamond Putnam.
In 1992, MacDowell added Nef Studio, which features a production-scale darkroom just as digital photography was beginning to gain traction. As a result, use of the smaller darkroom in Putnam Studio steadily declined. After more than a decade of disuse, the darkroom facilities were removed to expand the studio workspace and create an ensuite bedroom.
A subsequent renovation in 2019 further enhanced the building, adding a full bathroom and a bedroom separated from the workspace, enlarging the visual art studio, and improving the printing area. In August of that year, the Putnam-Graphics Studio was rededicated, and the entire facility was given a unified name in honor of David and Rosamond Putnam, Tom and Babs Putnam, and the broader Putnam family.
