George Douse
Dorchester Illustration 2665
George N. Douse was a well-known developer of housing in Dorchester during the first three decades of the 20th century. He is pictured at the right in today’s illustration.
In 1912, he built a series of three-deckers on Monadnock Street. In 1915, Douse acquired 51 lots of land on Whitten, Redwood, Althea, Clematis and Center streets and Dorchester Avenue, where he built single and two-family homes. He bought 10 more lots in the same area the following year. On Sept. 10, 1916, The Boston Globe stated, “The development of the Whitten estate by George N. Douse, a well-known builder, is proving one of the most important undertakings that has been experienced in the Dorchester District.”
Douse indulged himself at the dinner table and became proud of his stature. He was pictured in the media eating with others members of a U.S. Fat Men’s Club. A story on the New England Historical Society website says to join the New England Fat Men’s Club you had to weight at least 200 pounds. https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/?s=U.S.+Fat+Men%27s+Club
An article in The Boston Globe on July 15, 1929, reported Douse’s weight as 480 pounds. His shirt collar was recorded as 36 inches in circumference. In a bit of hyperbole, the reporter said that Douse’s coat had more yardage than Ringling’s Big Top.
It is probably not surprising that George died two years later at the age of 53.