Major Bibliographical References (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets.) Previous documentation on file (NPS): Primary location of additional data: - preliminary determination of individual listing (36 x State Historic Preservation Office CFR 67) has been requested - Other State agency - previously listed in the National Register - Federal agency - previously determined eligible by the National xLocal government Register - University - designated a National Historic Landmark - Other _ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey Name of repository: #.
Bourne Archives _ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 8 Bourne City/Town Page 1 OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Summary The Jonathan Bourne Public Library (contributing building) possesses significance at the local level under National Register Criteria A and C in the areas of education, social history, and architecture. The period of significance begins in 1896, when the building was constructed, and ends in 1962, the current 50-year cutoff date for National Register eligibility.
Under Criterion A, the building possesses significant associations with the history of the free public librar movement, which began in Massachusetts in the 1840s and spread throughout the nation during the second half of the 19° century. Massachusetts was at the forefront of the movement in providing legal mechanisms that allowed communities to raise public funds for the establishment and maintenance of libraries, and was the first state to establish a state body to foster the creation of public libraries, when it established the Free Public Library Commission in 1890. Bourne was among the first municipalities in the state to petition the commission for assistance, and received the authorized state- supported allotment of $100 for books that formed the basis for the library.
The Jonathan Bourne Public Library was completed in 1897, with funds provided through a gift from Emily Howard Bourne as a memorial to her father and the town's namesake, Jonathan Bourne, and is representative of the pattern of philanthropic sponsorship that was a common theme in library development during the period. The building was the first major civic building constructed in the nascent town of Bourne, which had separated from Sandwich just 12 years before the construction of the library in 1896, and served a dual role as library and town offices until the present Town Hall building was constructed in 1914. The Jonathan Bourne Public Library is significant under Criterion C as an example of the work of nationally prominent, Boston-based architect Henry Vaughan (1845-1917).
Vaughan is best known for his English Gothic ecclesiastical designs for Episcopal and Catholic churches, and is credited with helping to introduce the style in the United States in the late 19th century. His most notable commission was serving as supervising architect of the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Vaughan also executed a number of institutional and residential works that employed Colonial and Classical Revival precedents. The Jonathan Bourne Public Library is also significant as a building type, representing contemporary thought on the functional layout of libraries, and is an important local example of late 19*-century revival-style architecture. The building retains a high degree of integrity in its design, materials, setting, location, workmanship, feeling, and association.
Although the adjacent landscape has changed over time, the building's location and its setting have remained true to their original design. The existing street lamps (noncontributing objects) at each end of the drive are exact replicas of ca. 1910 lights installed in 2006 using CPA funds. The flagpole (noncontributing object) at the center of the lawn is also a modern replacement of the original flagpole that stood on the property (Ellis 2012). The only alteration to the building's form is the small 1954 rear addition, which was constructed within the property's period of significance and blends well with the original architecture of the building. Much of the building's original interior and exterior fabric remains intact, including the wood sash, the brick exterior, and the slate roof. Its strong Colonial Revival form and detailing are still clearly apparent.
The building continues to function in a civic capacity, maintaining its association with the town's public institutions. Its overall integrity of historic feeling and character is strong. (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 8 Bourne City/Town Page 2 OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State Criterion A Free Public Library Movement in Massachusetts, 1840-1900 The Jonathan Bourne Public Library is associated with broad patterns in the early history of the Massachusetts free public library system. The concept of the free public library began to develop in the early 1800s, but did not gain momentum on a wide scale until the second half of the 19t century.
The public library concept was born out of the belief that an educated and well-informed populace was necessary to ensure the proper functioning of a democratic society. During this period, libraries came to be seen as extensions of public educational systems, and communities throughout the country justified the expenditure of public funds to construct and support them accordingly. The emergence of library science as a profession, and the increasing availability of affordable mass-produced books and periodicals were other significant factors that made public libraries viable (Schnell and Anderson 1993). The first libraries in Colonial America were private collections assembled by wealthy individuals and kept in their homes. Early collegesand universitiesamassed large collections of works, but they were generally restricted to use by students and faculties.
The concept of creating libraries for general access emerged in the mid 18'* century when members of the elite, especially in developing urban centers of the Atlantic Coast, began to pool their resources to form private associations that charged members a fee for the use of library texts. Benjamin Franklin's Philadelphia Library Company, established in 1732, was among the first of these so-called "subscription" or "social" libraries. Many were specialized in scope, and affiliated with particular professional groups that focused on topics such as law or medicine. Although the fees charged by subscription libraries were often nominal, the percentage of people who took advantage of the opportunity relative to the total population of any given community was small (Fletcher 1894:10-11; MHC 1987:221).
In the period immediately following the Revolutionary War and the establishment of the United States, Massachusetts took the lead among the states in promoting the establishment of libraries. In 1798, the General Court passed an act granting any group of seven or more persons the right to incorporate and raise money through the issuance of shares to create a social library. Acts in 1815 and 1825 granted special rights to lawyers and ministers for the establishment of subscription law and theological libraries. In 1837, the General Court authorized school districts to create common school libraries for the use of school children. This marked a significant departure for the General Court because it allowed for the use of funds raised through school district taxes.
Though relatively small in terms of dollars - only $30 the first year and $10 per year thereafter - the Act likely represents the first instance in the United States where public funds were allotted specifically for the establishment of libraries (Free Public Library Commission [FPLC] 1899:433-437). (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 8 Bourne City/Town Page 3 OMB Approval No.
1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State While there were isolated instances in the early decades of the 19" century where communities supported libraries for the public good, the first major event in the history of the free library movement occurred on March 3, 1848, when the General Court authorized the City of Boston "to establish and maintain a public library, for the use of the inhabitants of the said city" and gave it powers to raise and expend public funds for its care and maintenance. The legislation was passed at the behest of Boston's mayor, Josiah Quincy, Jr., who donated the first $5,000 for the establishment of the library. Quincy was joined in the effort by other powerful political, educational, and commercial leaders, including Harvard professor George Ticknor, U.S. senator and statesman Edward Everett, and wealthy financier Joshua Bates.
Ticknor was the dominant force in establishing the direction of the library, taking what was then the radical view that the collection should include current popular works that would attract new or casual readers and instill in them a thirst for books on more serious topics. Bates was the primary benefactor, making two large gifts of $50,000 toward the purchase of books and the construction of a new library building on the condition that "there shall be a room for one hundred to one hundred and fifty persons to sit at reading tables, and that it be perfectly free to all." The Boston Public Library was formally established on April 3, 1848, and opened its doors in a former schoolhouse on Mason Street on March 20, 1854. The first dedicated building for the library was erected on Boylston Street in 1858 (Boston Public Library n.d.; Fletcher 1894:16- 17,22-23).
The Boston experiment served as a catalyst for the spread of the public library movement. In 1849, the New Hampshire State Legislature enacted a law that extended the right to levy taxes for the establishment of libraries to all incorporated municipalities. Massachusetts did the same in 1851, and was followed by Maine (1854), Vermont (1865), and Ohio (1867). By the mid-1870s, most states in the Northeast and Midwest had established similar laws (Fletcher 1894: 22-23; Schnell and Anderson 1993). Massachusetts was by far the most active of the states in supporting the spread of public libraries.
In 1869, it became the first to provide a dedicated source of revenue for libraries when the General Court mandated that unspent proceeds from the "Dog Tax," a licensing fee paid by dog owners to cover damages caused by their pets, be returned to communities for the support of public libraries or schools. In 1880, the Court made it possible for towns to grant or vote money for the establishment and maintenance of public reading rooms associated with their libraries. Two years later, that privilege was extended to the construction of library buildings, and municipalities were given the right to receive, hold, and manage monetary donations for the construction or expansion of libraries. In another legislative first, the General Court passed an Act in 1890 creating the Free Public Library Commission.
The Commission consisted of a five-member board, appointed by the governor, whose mission was to promote the establishment and growth of public libraries throughout the state, and to advise towns and cities on various library topics, including theproper makeup of collections and layout of library facilities. The commission was also charged with keeping state statistics on library development and submitting annual progress reports. A key provision that sparked a significant uptick in library development was the ability of towns without public libraries to apply to the board for up to $100 of state seed money to purchase books for a new library, providing the municipality voted at a town meeting to provide for the continued maintenance of the library thereafter (FPLC 1899:445, 448-449, 453-454). (continued).
NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 8 Bourne City/Town Page 4 OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State These laws provided the impetus for communities throughout Massachusetts to proceed with the formation of public libraries, and firmly established the public library as a necessary and desirable institution within the civic infrastructure. By 1880, nearly half the towns and cities in the state had public libraries. A decade later, 248 of the municipalities in the state had public libraries, and the total aggregate of volumes contained in them amounted to almost 2.5 million, nearly as many as that contained in all the public libraries in other states combined.
After the formation of the Free Public Library Commission, the pace of library establishment increased again. By 1898, only seven towns had no libraries or rights of access to those in neighboring towns, and the number of persons not served represented less than one percent of the population. During the 1890s, the aggregate number of volumes in the state's free public library system increased by one- third, to more than 3.75 million (Fletcher 1894:15; FPLC 1891:xi; FPLC 1899:3-4). The construction of a dedicated building to house its collection often lagged several years behind the date of a library's establishment. While municipalities in Massachusetts were generally eager to provide for the staffing and maintenance of libraries, they were rarely willing to fund construction of the buildings at taxpayer's expense.
With only a few exceptions, libraries built in the state during the late 19" and early 20"* centuries were the result of private donations. The most extensive example of library philanthropy was set by Pittsburgh steel magnate Andrew Carnegie who, through his Carnegie Corporation of New York, provided donations for the construction of more than 2,500 libraries between 1886 and 1919 (Carnegie Corporation of New York n.d.). Of that number, 95 were constructed in New England, and 44 of those were built in Massachusetts (Smith n.d.). Many other individuals were motivated by the same ideals, and viewed the donation of money for the construction and improvement of libraries as a worthy contribution to society. In most of those cases, the donations were localized to places where the patrons had some personal connection.
A common theme was the "memorial" library, named for individuals who bequeathed donations in their wills, or constructed through gifts of family members to honor the memory of departed loved ones. In one of the histories of the American free public library movement, W.I. Fletcher summed up this phenomenon: "There has been a ready perception of the truth that one's memory cannot better be perpetuated than by association with an institution so popular and at the same time so elevating and refining as the public library" (Fletcher 1894:18). Cape Cod libraries built during the late 19 century followed these trends toward private philanthropic sponsorship, and reflected the prevailing architectural styles of the period. Brewster was the first town on Cape Cod to construct a separate library building, a small Stick Style structure built in 1868.
Provincetown's first public library, the Freeman Library, was built in 1873 in the Second Empire style, and was the result of a gift from prominent local businessman Nathan Freeman. David Snow, who made his fortune in the fishing and shipbuilding industries, provided $5,000 in his will for the construction of a library in Orleans. The Tudor-style Snow Library was built in 1877, but burned during a blizzard in 1952. Among the libraries on Cape Cod that are contemporaries of the Jonathan Bourne Public Library are the Shingle Style Jacob Sears Memorial Library in Dennis (1895), the Romanesque Revival-style Eldredge Memorial Library in Chatham (1896), and the Eastham Public Library (1898), a small Colonial Revival-style building. These three libraries are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
(continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 8 Bourne City/Town Page 5 OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State Jonathan Bourne Public Library The Town of Bourne was among the first wave of communities to take advantage of the aid provided through the Massachusetts Free Public Library Commission. At its annual meeting held on April 28, 1891, the town voted to supply public funding for the establishment and maintenance of a library, under the terms of the legislative act of 1890 that established the Commission. A board of trustees, which consisted of Nathan H. Chamberlain, Moses C. Waterhouse, and Levi R. Leavitt, was created at the same time.
The town received the requisite $100 worth of books from the Commission and installed them in a bookcase located in the high school. The Bourne Town Library, as it was originally known, consisted of 183 volumes when it was officially opened to the public on December 7, 1891. The lending policies established by the board allowed any resident of Bourne twelve years of age and older to borrow up to two books per household and keep them for two weeks. The period could be renewed for an additional two weeks upon a written request, and a fine of two cents per day was charged for books not returned on time. The trustees withheld the right to revoke privileges to anyone who willfully violated library rules (JBPL Board of Trustees 1898:n.p.; FPLC 1899:50).
During its first few years of operation, the library benefited from a number of donations to the point where, in 1895, it contained 1,283 volumes and had been moved to larger quarters in the Buzzards Bay post office (Town of Bourne 1895). The need for a permanent home for the library inspired Emily Howland Bourne to donate money to the town in 1894 for the construction of a new building. Bourne, a resident of New Bedford, inherited a large sum of money from her father, Jonathan Bourne, after his death in 1889. Jonathan Bourne was a descendent of Reverend Richard Bourne, who came from England in the early 17* century and spent much of the remainder of his life preaching to Native Americans in the Sandwich area. Jonathan was born in the village of Monument (Bourne Village), and at the age of seventeen moved to New Bedford.
He soon entered the whaling business, and ultimately became New Bedford's leading ship owner. In 1884, while serving in the state legislature, he assisted the citizens of western Sandwich in their fight to incorporate as an independent municipality, and was rewarded for his efforts when the new town was named in his honor. As the heiress to Bourne's fortune, Emily pursued a long list of philanthropic activities that included funding the construction of the Bourne Building of the New Bedford Whaling Museum to commemorate her father's significant role in the history of the city's whaling industry. She was also a liberal benefactor to the New York Association for the Blind, and had built the Bourne Workshop for the Blind on 35th Street in New York City. When she died in 1922, she left about half of her estate to charity (Bradley 1993:67; New York Times 1922).
As the first significant public building constructed in the new town, the Jonathan Bourne Public Library was a symbol of the cultural and intellectual life of the residents, as well as an important contribution to the town's evolving built landscape. The site chosen for the library building was on a gentle slope above the Monument River just north of Sandwich Road, the main thoroughfare through the center of Bourne Village, and west of Bridge Street. Emily Bourne purportedly chose the location because the birthplace of her father, on the northeast side of the Manomet River, could be seen from there. The house was destroyed during the digging of the canal in 1913. The location benefitted from heavy traffic that promised to bring in more library patrons.
Bridge Street connected the two halves of Bourne Village via a (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 8 Bourne City/Town Page 6 OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State bridge over the river. Two new streets, Prospect and Megansett (also known as Manomet Street), were laid out to the west and north, respectively, to provide access to the library and other properties that were developed around it. The current Keene Street incorporates all or portions of Prospect, Megansett, and Bridge streets (Keene 1937:155).
The village railroad station (mentioned above) and post office were almost immediately opposite the library on the north side of the river; immediately surrounding the building were two churches, a lumber yard, and several blacksmith shops, in addition to many small residences (Hendrick 1978). A windmill (not extant) on the property of the Albert E. Eldridge House at 43 Sandwich Road originally supplied water to the library (Gibbs 1984). ( aine ie ce r ie rting en ie am ame io ei i o e om o ie e the building at its annual meeting in April 1897, and the library was formally dedicated at a ceremony held on June 17. Joseph Jefferson, one of the most famous American theatrical actors of the day, delivered the dedication speech (Town of Bourne 1897; JBPL 1898:50; Harrington and Olausen 2000).
The construction of the Jonathan Bourne Public Library represented a significant step in the civic development of Bourne. Although it had been twelve years since its separation from the town of Sandwich and incorporation in 1884, the town had yet to develop the municipal services and public buildings that were characteristics of late 19t-century towns. The library was the first public building that was not a school erected in the town, and established the Bourne Village/Buzzards. Bay area along the Monument River, which was later incorporated into the Cape Cod Canal, as the location for subsequent municipal development. After its completion, the library served a dual role as the location of the town offices, which had initially been located in a former private residence.
This arrangement remained until the present Town Hall building on Perry Avenue was constructed in 1914 (Keene 1937:128). Within the first decade of the Bourne Library's construction, the landscape surrounding the building changed dramatically, primarily as a result of the construction of the Cape Cod Canal, which passes through a portion of Bourne Village. While many plans were made to construct a canal across the base of Cape Cod during the 17t *, 18", and 19th centuries, it was not until 1909 that construction actually began in earnest. The canal's completion in 1914 resulted in the removal of the Bridge Street Bridge, effectively severing the connection between the two halves of Bourne Village, and dramatically altering the circulation and development patterns in the area surrounding the library (MHC 1984:11-12) Subsequent widening of the canal by the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers in the 1920s and 1930s resulted in the further loss of homes and land within the historic center of the village. Subsequently, the focus of the town's civic development shifted to the Four Corners intersection further west at Perry Avenue. The library retained its scenic water views, but of the man-made canal rather than the meandering Monument River. It became increasingly isolated from the main activities of the town, and its surrounding neighborhood was transformed into a quieter residential area (Bradley 1993:36; Keene (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 8 Bourne City/Town Page OMB Approval No.
1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State Along with the physical transformation of Bourne as a result of the canal construction, significant social and demographic changes occurred in the town following the advent of the automobile during the second and third decades of the 20th century. As large numbers of residents of Boston and other regional urban centers gained relatively easy access to Cape Cod, Bourne experienced a surge in population akin to the one that occurred with the opening of the railroad in the 19th century. After the completion of the first canal bridges, Bourne's highways were improved to accommodate the growing numbers of motorists crossing to Cape Cod. Development activity also increased to keep pace with the population growth. This process was further encouraged by the construction of Camp Edwards in 1937 (Harrington and Olausen 2000).
As the town grew, the library system responded by expanding its services. In 1906 a branch library was established in Sagamore, and two additional branches were established in the 1930s in Pocasset and Buzzards Bay, all in existing buildings. The main library building on Keene Street was modernized with the installation of steam heating in 1909, and electricity and telephones shortly after. The heating system was converted to oil in 1940, and the building was connected to the town water supply in 1946 (Town Annual Reports). As early as 1944, the town expressed concern about the overcrowding of the main library building, citing insufficient shelving and administrative space. In 1954, a small, architecturally sensitive, one-story office, designed by local architect Lloyd M.
Hendrick, was added to the rear of the building to provide more space and a rear exit to comply with new fire laws (Hendrick 1978). The basement was renovated in 1957 and 1962 to accommodate the overflow of books. In 1974, the access ramp to the back door was added (Town Annual Reports 1957, 1962, 1974). The town of Bourne experienced a significant increase in population and development in the period immediately following World War II. During the 1950s the population of the town nearly tripled, from 4,720 at the beginning of the decade to more than 14,000 in 1960. In the late 1970s, the need for a larger and more convenient library came under serious consideration by the town, and in 1984, the contents of the library were moved to the former Bourne Grammar School at nearby 19 Sandwich Road, which had closed in 1981 due to a decline in student population (Town Annual Reports).
Since 1986, the former library building on Keene Street has served as the Jonathan Bourne Historical Center, housing the town archives and historic documents as well as administrative offices for the Bourne Historical Commission and the Bourne Historical Society. As such, it continues to function as a civic building within the small historic node of Bourne Village. (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 8 Bourne City/Town Page 8 OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State Criterion C Henry Vaughan The Jonathan Bourne Public Library is an example of the work of architect Henry Vaughan, a nationally prominent architect who is best known for his English Gothic Revival ecclesiastical designs.
Vaughan was born in Cheshire, England, and relocated to Dollar in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, as a child. He attended Dollar Academy, Great Britain's oldest co-educational grade school, and was awarded a bronze medal in art from the school in 1863. After graduation he began an apprenticeship under George Frederick Bodley, England's foremost exponent.of English Gothic architecture. Vaughan eventually worked his way up to head draftsman at the firm of Bodley and Garner. In 1881, Vaughan came to Boston to design the Chapel of St. Margaret's Convent on Louisburg Square (1882). He opened an office on Pemberton Square and established his residence on Pinckney Street (Withey 1970:618; Morgan 1983:16).
Vaughan's association with Bodley brought him to the attention of the Episcopal Diocese, at a time when the church was experiencing a period of prosperity and was initiating a massive building campaign in the Northeast. The English Gothic style, with its soaring vertical forms, was chosen by the church as the proper architectural expression of the faith. Through the commissions he received from the church, Vaughan soon became the acknowledged master of what would alternatively be known in the United States as the Late Gothic Revival style. Among his notable early ecclesiastical works were St. Barnabas Memorial Church (1888) in Falmouth, Massachusetts; the Chapel of St. Peter and St. Paul (1888) at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire; and St. John's Chapel (ca. 1890) at the Groton School in Groton, Massachusetts.
After the turn of the 20" century, Vaughan designed a number of churches in New York City, including the Church of the Good Shepherd (1901-1903) and the Chapel of the Nativity at Church of the Incarnation (1903) in Manhattan, and the Church of the Mediator (1913) in the Bronx (Morgan 1983; Lovejoy 1998). Vaughan had a profound influence on the career of Ralph Adams Cram, who became the best known of the Gothic Revival architects of the early 20"h century. Before embarking on his career, Cram was a neighbor of Vaughan's on Pinckney Street in Boston. It is likely that he spent time working in Vaughan's office, and Cram mentioned in his autobiography that Vaughan was his mentor. The two collaborated on several projects including the Holy Cross Monastery (1902) in West Park, New York, and - most notably - the massive Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.
Cram was selected to take over the design of the cathedral in 1907, after the firm of Heins and LaFarge was dismissed. He reworked the plans to create the Gothic Revival-style church that exists today. Vaughan's contributions included designs for the pulpit and the chapels of Saints Ansgar (1916), James (1916), and Boniface (1918, Shand-Tucci 1996:45-49; Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine 2007). (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 8 Bourne City/Town Page 9 OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State Vaughan's practice extended to numerous private commissions, where he often produced designs in other styles, including the Colonial and Tudor revivals.
His most significant individual client was Edward Francis Searles (1841-1920), a successful New York-based interior designer. Searles married Mary Hopkins, the widow of Central Pacific Railroad co- founder Mark Hopkins, in 1887 and, after her death in 1891, inherited her vast fortune. He spent much of the rest of his life building mansions for himself and contributing to building campaigns for worthy causes. Vaughan's collaborations with Searles included Stanton Harcourt - a 1/4-size replica of the medieval Tudor manor of the same name in Oxfordshire, Englandbuilt in Windham, New Hampshire (1905-1915); the Dream House on Block Island in Rhode Island; and a number of buildings in Methuen, Massachusetts, including Serlo Organ Hall (1909), a large Jacobethan mansion (1911), and Searles Chapel (1915).
Emily Bourne was also a repeat customer of Vaughan's, commissioning him to design the Jonathan Bourne Building at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, built in 1916 (Shand-Tucci 1996:46, 48; Berg, et al. 2005:7). Vaughan received his most significant commission when he was selected as the supervising architect under Bodley for the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., in 1906. After Bodley's death the following year, Vaughan took over full charge of the design. Officially the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, the building is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world. Vaughan worked on the project until his death in 1917. In honor of his contributions to the building, his body was interred in the cathedral (Withey 1970:618).
Jonathan Bourne Public Library as a Representative Example of Library Architecture in the Late 19* Century Vaughan's design for the Jonathan Bourne Public Library incorporated early design principals employed in contemporary library construction. The library as a distinct public building type experienced widespread development during the period of increasing prosperity that occurred in the United States after the Civil War. Many early public library buildings were funded by the donations of individuals who had amassed incredible wealth from the growth of industry. These gifts gave rise to the need for architects to design buildings specifically for use as libraries.
Three theories of library design circulated in the 1880s: the "cathedral type," with two or three tiers of balconied stacks surrounding a tall reading room with clerestory windows such as those at Harvard, Yale, and Wesleyan; the alcoved reading room, with each alcove housing books on a specific subject, such as those designed by H. H. Richardson between 1876 and 1885 for the Massachusetts towns of Woburn, Quincy, North Easton, and Malden; and the most common type, an expansion of the private library, characterized by books in open or locked cases in a series of rooms, sometimes separated into departments, but often arranged informally by librarians, such as the Lenox Library in New York. The Jonathan Bourne Public Library is of the latter type, with a series of three interconnected rooms and no stacks or alcoves (Schnell and Anderson 1993).
The American library construction boom of the late 19" and early 20"h centuries coincided with a period of "synthetic eclecticism" in architectural styles. This was encouraged by the Centennial Exposition of 1876 in Philadelphia, which sparked an interest in Colonial architecture, and the Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago, which displayed the full potential of the Colonial Revival style. European-trained architects, including Henry Vaughan, popularized historical interpretations of European architectural styles. It was common for architects "to return to classic principals of design and, (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 8 Bourne City/Town Page 10 OMB Approval No.
1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State often, to the literal reuse of classical forms" (Roth 1980:174). The architect Charles McKim wrote to Edith Wharton, "By conscientious study of the best examples of classical periods, including those of antiquity, it is possible to conceive a perfect result suggestive of a particular period, ... but inspired by the study of them all" (quoted in Schnell and Anderson 1993). The firm of McKim, Mead and White was responsible for the design of the Boston Public Library (1887-1895), one of the two most influential library buildings of the period, the other being the New York Public Library (1897-1911) by Carrere and Hastings (Schnell and Anderson 1993). The revival styles of the late 19t century also had a social function during the time of intense nationalism that followed the Civil War.
Amid the drastic cultural and technological changes of the period, many Americans looked to the past in their attempts to create a unified national identity. Ancient Greek and Roman architecture symbolized democracy and self- government, and were thus appropriate references for American public buildings that celebrated these ideals. Large and small towns wanted their public buildings to make similar statements. Buildings that clearly resembled historic structures also helped to create a sense of permanence on the built landscape (Upton 1998). In addition to the Jonathan Bourne Public Library, Bourne constructed two other large public buildings soon after its incorporation, as the former Bourne High School (1905) and Bourne Town Hall (1914, NR pending), in similar revival styles - all part of its efforts to create a tangible community identity.
The 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition also increased the emphasis on urban planning in the United States, culminating in the City Beautiful movement. Libraries, along with hospitals, art galleries, and museums, were regarded as key buildings in the City Beautiful movement. Not surprisingly, classically inspired revival styles were adapted for use in American libraries. The 1902 edition of Architectural Review's compilation of modern library design showed that 57 out of 67 public libraries wereclassically styled. The Colonial and Classical Revival styles represented to Americans "democracy, opportunity, education, and freedom - all important themes in public library development" (quoted in Schnell and Anderson 1993). Small towns that wanted a landmark public building often simply requested a miniature version of the larger libraries found in cities.
It was generally believed that anyone, regardless of their level of education or culture, would recognize a building with columns, pediment, and marble stairs as "one housing an important civic function" (quoted in Schnell and Anderson 1993). Cape Cod towns followed national library architecture trends; Sandwich, Falmouth, and Dennis all built public libraries in Colonial and Classical Revival designs in the early 20"h century, as did Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard (MHC 1987:222). The traits of these styles that are often identified with the public library building include evenly spaced columns, a pediment, stone construction, and a long flight of stairs. The roof lines are usually flat or slightly hipped, atop a symmetrical building with few angles or projections.
The Jonathan Bourne Public Library is an excellent example of how the revival styles were adapted to public buildings in small towns throughout the country in late 19 century. Vaughan described it as being "what is known in America as Colonial, but is, more properly speaking, a simple rendering of (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number Bourne City/Town Page 11 OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State English Renaissance, of the time of Charles II." He employed a temple front, featuring a central bay entrance with a pediment, columns, and a flat entrance embellished by an arch. The building exhibits classical references in its hipped roof and symmetrical rectangular form.
It also illustrates the interesting compromises that sometimes resulted from the necessity to complete a library under a donated budget, such as stone embellishment on a brick building. As in other simple libraries, contrasting masonry was used not only to accent the windows but also to mimic classical details, such as quoins. Perhaps as a nod to his ecclesiastical architectural background, Vaughan incorporated leaded tracery in the windows and the stained-glass window on the west elevation depicting St. Michael and the Dragon. The window was manufactured by Clayton and Bell of London, one of the world's most prominent stained glass firms (Jonathan Bourne Public Library 1983). Archaeological Significance Since patterns of ancient Native American settlement and subsistence in Bourne, and in the Upper Cape in general, are poorly understood, any surviving sites could be significant.
While archaeological research has been active throughout much of the Cape during most of the 20" century, the Upper Cape, including Bourne, has been neglected during this effort. Limited amateur artifact collections are available for the town, and, when present, often lack locational and contextual information, reducing their value for understanding the nature of settlement and change within the town. Limited numbers of professional archaeological surveys in the town have also rarely included substantial excavations, and have instead focused on their immediate area, with little interpretation of the role of local sites and issues of regional prehistory.
The above information indicates the systematic study and interpretation of any surviving sites in the town can be important in better understanding the ancient Native American settlement and subsistence in Bourne and in the Upper Cape locale. Ancient sites in the Bourne locale can contribute information relating to a number of potential research topics, many of which are directly related to the town's location in a coastal area and its glacial history. Cape Cod's human settlement history of approximately 11,000 years, combined with sea levels considerably lower than today following deglaciation, created an environment in which human populations adapted to changing resources, at first characterized by an inland area that became increasingly coastal as sea level rose, until it basically stabilized approximately 5,000 years ago.
Ancient sites in the Bourne area can contribute information relating to the ways in which Native settlement and subsistence systems adapted to this change and modified through time. Ancient sites in the area can also contribute information relating to Native tool technologies and the effects of raw material availability. The lack of bedrock lithic source areas on the Cape and in Bourne resulted in Native peoples trading for raw materials, or adapting to cobble technologies and exploitation of lithic sources available in local glacial outwash. Ancient sites on the Jonathan Bourne Public Library property may contain information indicating the extent to which locally available outwash deposits were used as source areas for local tool manufacture.
(end) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 9 Bourne City/Town Page OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES Berg, Shary Page, Gretchen G. Shuler, and Virginia Adams. Methuen Reconnaissance Report, Essex County Landscape Inventory, Massachusetts Landscape Heritage Inventory Program. Report prepared for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and Essex National Heritage Commission, 2005. Boston Public Library. "Boston Public Library: A Brief History and Description." Retrieved June 22, 2009. http://www.bpl.org/generalhistory.htm N.d. Bostwick, Arthur E., Ph.D. The American Public Library. D. Appleton and Company, New York, NY, 1910. Bradley, Michael (ed.).
Bourne Village: An Oral History. The Bourne Historical Commission, Bourne, MA, 1993. Carnegie Corporation of New York "About Carnegie Corporation." Retrieved June 26, 2009. http://www.carnegie.org/sub/about/biography.html. Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine. "The Chapels of the Seven Tongues." Retrieved June 26, 2009. from http://www.stjohndivine.org/history_tongues.html. Connors, Louise. "Much of Bourne Library's history rediscovered." Sunday Standard-Times, New Bedford, MA. August 29,1971. Ellis, Jerry. Personal communication. 25 January 2012. Fletcher, W.I. Public Libraries in America. Columbian Knowledge Series, Number 2. Robert Brothers, Boston, MA, 1894. Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts (FPLC). Ninth Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts, 1898. Wright & Potter Printing Co., State Printers, Boston, MA. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
from http://books.google.com/books?id=QKs9AAAAYAAJ&dq=Free+Public+Library+Commission+MA&printsec= frontcover&source=bl&ots=qz_fzil-]rv&sig=86aQBBtGbCtbeiIHZbqJOa0WHpBs&hl=en&ei=W9hASt6JZ vGM_Doqcwl&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1 Gibbs, Alice M. "Historic Buildings in Monument." Falmouth Enterprise, Falmouth, MA. July 20,1984. (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 9 Bourne City/Town Page 2 OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State Harrington, Mary Kate and Stephen A. Olausen. Final Report, Bourne Community-wide Historic and Architectural Survey, Bourne, Massachusetts, Round II, 1999-2000. The Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc. Report No. 996.
Submitted to Town of Bourne, Buzzards Bay, MA and Massachusetts Historical Commission, Boston, MA, 2000. Hendrick, Lloyd M. "Classical Georgian Architecture Marks Bourne's Library Building." Falmouth Enterprise, Falmouth, MA. December 5, 1978. Herbster, Holly. Technical Report, Phase I Intensive Archaeological Survey for the Algonquin Gas Transmission Company, Proposed 4.0-Mile Canal Lateral Pipeline, FERC Docket #CP94-260-000, Bourne, Massachusetts. The Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc. Report No. 562. Submitted to Algonquin Gas Transmission Company, Boston, MA, 1994. Jacobs, Donald. Bournedale: the Forgotten Village. Bourne Historical Commission, Bourne, MA, 1996. Jonathan Bourne Public Library (JBPL). Library Flyer. Bourne, MA., 1983 Jonathan Bourne Public Library (JBPL) Board of Trustees. Library Catalogue. F. B. & F. P. Goss, Hyannis, MA, 1898. Keene, Betsey D.
History of the Town of Bourne from 1622 to 1937. Sullwold Publishing, Taunton, MA, 1937. Lovejoy, Kim. "Late Gothic Revival." In Common Bond. Vol. 12, No. 1. The New York Landmarks Conservancy, New York, NY, 1998. Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) MHC Reconnaissance Survey Report: Town of Bourne. On file, Massachusetts Historical Commission, Office of the Secretary of State, Boston, MA, 1984. . Historic and Archaeological Resources of Cape Cod and the Islands. On file, Massachusetts Historical Commission, Office of the Secretary of State, Boston, MA, 1987. Mohney, Kirk F. Maine Public Libraries. National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Multiple Property Documentation Form, 1988. Morgan, William. The Almighty Wall: The Architecture of Henry Vaughan. Architectural History Foundation and Cambridge, M.I.T. Press, New York, NY, 1983.
(continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 9 Bourne City/Town Page 3 OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State Mowchan, Denise and Joan Gallagher. An Intensive Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Canalscape Land Development, Bourne, Massachusetts: The Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc. Report No. 228. Submitted to Village Homes, Inc., Carver, MA, 1988. New York Time. "Niece fights for Bourne $1,000,000. " New York Times, May 24, 1922. Nourse, Henry S. "The Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts." In The Library Journal, January-December 1896, American Library Association, New York, pp. 10-13.
Retrieved June 23, 2009: http://books.google.com/books?id=rwYCAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=label:/22public+libraries/22& source=gbs_similarbooks_s&cad=1. Schnell, Karen E. and Marcia Anderson. National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Multiple Property Documentation Form, Illinois Carnegie Libraries, 1993 Shand-Tucci, Douglas. Boston Bohemia, 1881-1900: Ralph Adams Cram: Life and Architecture. University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, MA, 1996 Smith, Corinne.New England Carnegies, A Site that Honors the Libraries that Andrew Carnegie Helped to Fund. Retrieved June 26,2009.http://www.necarnegies.com. Town of Bourne. 1884-present Town of Bourne Annual Reports. Reynolds Printing, New Bedford, MA. Upton, Dell. Architecture in the United States. Oxford University Press, USA, 1998. Withey, Henry F. and Elsie Rathburn Withey.
Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased). Hennessey & Ingalls, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, 1970. (end) Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property. Barnstable, MA County and State 10. Geographical Data Acreage of Property - less than one acre UTM References See continuation sheet. Lat/Long , 41.743354 (Place additional UTM references on a continuation sheet) -70.596866 1. Zone Easting Northing 2. Zone Easting Northing Zone 4. Zone Easting Easting - See continuation sheet Northing Northing Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property on a continuation sheet.) Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected on a continuation sheet.) 11. Form Prepared By name/title_ Carey L. Jones and Laura J.
Kline, PAL, with Betsy Friedberg, NR Director, MHC organization_Massachusetts Historical Commission - date October 2012 street & number220 Morrissey Boulevard telephone 617-727-8470 city or town. Boston stateMA _ zip code_02125 Additional Documentation Submit the following items with the completed form: Continuation Sheets Maps A USGS map (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location. A sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Photographs Representative black and white photographs of the property.
Additional items (Check with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items) Property Owner (Completethis item atthe request ofthe SHPO or FPO.) name _Town of Bourne, MA street & number - 24 Perry Avenue _ telephone _508-759-0600 city or town Bourne _state MA _ zip code 02532 Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 18.1 hours per response including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief, Administrative Services Division, National Park Service, P.0. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; and the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reductions Project (1024-0018), Washington, DC 20503.NPS Form 10-900 NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number 10 Bourne City/Town Barnstable, MA County and State Page !
GEOGRAPHICAL DATA Verbal Boundary Description The boundaries of the Jonathan Bourne Public Library encompass Parcel 56 on Plat Map 24.1, which contains a total land area of 0.74 acre within Bourne, Massachusetts, near the northwest corner of Keene Street. Boundary Justification The boundaries are the historic lot lines associated with the Jonathan Bourne Public Library, now the Jonathan Bourne Historical Center, at 30 Keene Street. The boundaries follow legally recorded property lines. ASSESSORS MAP 2.03 45 46 49 $ Yeere 202 53 47 61 2 54 55 68 52 48 67 66 Ships Passaga 57 50 60 51 90 58 59 20 CofutRd. 30 31 17 Jonathan Bourne Public Library Map 24.1, Parcel 56 29 33 32) 27 28 NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET OMB Approval No.
1024-0018 Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number Bourne City/Town Barnstable, MA County and State Page SITE PLAN SCALE APPROXIMATE Streetlamp KEENE ST Streetlamp Flagpole Drive Jonathan Bourne Public Library KEENE ST KEY: ~ National Register Boundary Contributing Resource July 2009 NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number Bourne City/Town Barnstable, MA County and State Page HISTORIC IMAGES Bourne Public Library c.1898. Source:Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts for the year 1898.
NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Jonathan Bourne Public Library Name of Property Section Number Bourne City/Town Page PHOTOGRAPHS Photographer: Carey L. Jones, PAL Date: April 2009 PAL 1. Northeast corner of north facade, looking southwest 2. Southeast corner of east elevation, looking northwest, showing rear addition 3. First floor looking west through center room to reading room 4. First floor reading room, looking northwest 5. Interior trim around north window in reading room 6. Central stained glass panel in west window in reading room OMB Approval No.
1024-0018 Barnstable, MA County and State NITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIO] JATIONAL PARK SERVIC NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY NAME : Bourne, Jonathan, Public Library MULTIPLE NAME : STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Barnstable 11/28/12 DATE RECEIVED: E OF HEERLDYIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 12001168 DATE OF PENDING LIST: DATE OF 45TH DAY: 1/14/13 REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: N OTHER: REQUEST: N PDIL: N PERIOD: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: N N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N COMMENT WAIVER: N VACCEPT RETURN REJECT 1(4413 DATE ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS : Entered is The National Register Historic Places RECOM./CRITERIA - REVIEWER DISCIPLINE TELEPHONE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N If a nomination is returned to the nominating authority, the nomination is no longer under consideration by the NPS.
MA-BOURNE (BARNSTABLECOUNTY)- UBRARY O1. tif CAREY JONES PITOTO APRIL 2009 NE CORNER 7f N FACADE, FACING SW NOS NOSdE NOSdE NOS NOSda NOSC Jonathan Bourne Publie Library Bourne, Barnstable Co., MA Photo 1 of 6 NOSd MA_ BOURNE (BARNSTABLECOUNTY)- LIBRARyO2. tif CAREY JONES PItOTO APRIL 2009 NOSd SE CORNER, E ELEVATON, REAR ADDITION NOSd NOSda Jonathan Bourne Public Library Bourne, Barnstable Lo., MA Photo 2 of 6 BOURNE HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOSdE NOSd3 MA_ BOURNE (BARNSTABLECOUNTY) _ LIBRARy 03. tif CAREY JONES PAOTO APRIL 2009 1ST FLOUR, LOOKING W TOWARDS READING ROOM NOS: NOSd3 NOSd NOSd NO Sds NO: Jonathan Bourne Publie Library Bourne, Barnstable Co., MA Photo 3 of l MA_ BOURNE (BARNSTABLECOUNTY) - LIBRARY OY.
tif CAREY JONES PHOTO APRIL 2009 IST FLOR READIN, ROOM FACING NW Sd3 NOSd3 Jonathan Bourne Public Library Bourne, Barnstable Lo., MA Photo y oF6 NOSd NOSd3 NOSd3 NOSd3 NOSd3 MA_ BOURNE (BARNSTABLECOUNTY)-LIBRARYO5. tif CAREY JONES PHOTO APRIL 2009 READING ROOM, INTERIOR TRIM, N WINDOW NOS NOSdB N NOSda NOSda NOSd3 NOSdE Jonathan Bourne Publie Library Bourne, Barnstable Co., MA Photo 5 oF 4 -: OKOHE 9: SANCT US MICHAEL Ahakene MA_BOURNE (BANSTABLECOUNT4) _ LIBRAzy 06, tif CAREN JONES PItONO APRIL 2009 READING ROOM, STAINED GLASS PANEL, W WINDOW NOSdE NOSd3 NOS° NOSda NOsdE Janathan Bourne Public Library Bourne, Barnstabl Co., MA Photo 6of6 NOSdE IDAM T DITA LREATYSTY CLTT RECEIVED 2280 NOV 2 8 2012 NAT.
REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ATONAL PARK SERVICE William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth November 21, 2012 Massachusetts Historical Commission Mr. J. Paul Loether National Register of Historic Places Department of the Interior National Park Service 1201 Eye Street, NW 8t floor Washington, DC 20005 Dear Mr. Loether: Enclosed please find the following nomination form: Jonathan Bourne Public Library, 30 Keene Street, Bourne (Barnstable), MA The nomination has been voted eligible by the State Review Board and has been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer. The owners of the property were notified of pending State Review Board consideration 30 to 45 days before the meeting and were afforded the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely, Betey Fredheg Betsy Friedberg National Register Director Massachusetts Historical Commission enclosure CC: Laura Kline, PAL, consultant John Ford, Bourne Board of Selectmen Thomas Guerino, Town Adminstrator Donald Ellis, Bourne Historical Commission Christopher Farrell, Bourne Planning Board Coreen Moore, Bourne Town Planner 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125 (617) 727-8470 - Fax: (617) 727-5128 www.state.ma.us/sec/mhc
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