Nomination for Grace Episcopal Church

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PHOO16152 HB NO Form 10-300 (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) STATE: Massachusetts COUNTY: Middlesex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER NOV 3 1972 DATE NAME COMMON: Grace Episcopal Church AND/OR HISTORIC: 8 LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: 160 High Street CITY OR TOWN: Medford STATE Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY (Check One) District Site Building Structure Congressional District 7 RECEIVED APR 9 1972 LO NATIONAL REGISTER CODE COUNTY: 025 Middlesex CODE 017 OWNERSHIP STATUS Object Public Private Both Public Acquisition: - In Process Being Considered * Occupied -] Unoccupied - Preservation work in progress ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC Yes: * Restricted Unrestricted No PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Agricultural Government Commercial Industrial Educational Military Entertainment Museum Park Private Residence Religious Scientific - Transportation - Other (Specify) - Comments OWNER OF PROPERTY OWNER'S NAME: Wardens and Vestry of Grace Episcopal Church STREET AND NUMBER: 160 High Street CiTY OR TOWN: Medford ISTATE: Massachusetts LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: Middlesex County Registry of Deeds, Southern District STREET AND NUMBER: CODE 025 CITY OR TOWN: STATE Middlesex Cambridge Massachusetts CODE 025 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE OF SURVEY: Statewide Plan for Historic Preservation DATE OF SURVEY: 1970 - Federal DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET AND NUMBER: Archives Museum, State House CITY OR TOWN: Boston co X State - County - Local 1972 ISTATE: Massachusetts CODE 025 STATE: COUNTY: ENTRY NUMBER DATE FOR NPS USE ONLY DESCRIPTION CONDITION Excellent Lx Good (Check One) Fair (Check One) Deteriorated L Ruins [x Altered - Unaltered DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

Moved - Unexposed (Check One) & Origiral Site Grace Episcopal Church, designed in 1867, was one of H.H. Richardson's earliest works. The church is located at 160 Highland Street in West Med- ford. Of all Richardson's churches, Grace Episcopal has the simplest plan. It consists of a nave, a low polygonal chancel and a tall bell tower. The east-west nave is covered by a steeply pitched ridge roof. The gray slate covering it is broken by three horizontal bands of red slate running the full length of the roof. In describing Richardson's choice of materials, Professor Henry Russell Hitchcock comments: The most characteristic thing is the walling of glacial boul- ders, suggested by Mrs. Brooks, one of the donors, who had used them for her barn.

But Richardson would hardly have accepted the sug- gestion and profited from it had he not had a personal taste for for the strong, the simple and the rough. | The trim is of quarry- surfaced cut granite, heavy and massive enough to preserve the scale of the boulder walls and to frame solidly their rather shapeless patterns. un Z The west facade of the rectangular nave is the simplest in fenestration and detail. The motif of the gothic arch over the center door here is re- peated in the larger gothic arch that frames the rose window set in the gable. This larger arch is made of cut granite set into the wall of glacial boulders around the rose window. A granite string course which crosses the facade at at eave level completes the frame below the window. Another string course continues around the entire building forming the sill under all the first storey windows.

Buttresses up to the eaves appear on each corner of the west facade and at regular intervals along the north and south facades of the nave, creating four bays on each side. Three bays on each facade contain gothic windows framed in cut granite. On the north side, the second bay from the west is the un location of the gothic entrance porch that serves as the main entrance to the church. Opposite this bay, on the south facade, is a similar doorway but additions to the church have obscured its original exterior appearance. The polygonal chancel at the east end of the nave is not quite as wide as the nave wall to which it is attached. Its sides are separated by buttresses reaching to the eaves. The low string course mentioned previously runs across each side of the polygon. A pair of small gothic windows has been placed at the top of each of these sides.

The whole chancel os cpvered by a high, pitched roof. Irhe bell towere, which is attached to the eastern-most portion of the northeunfacade of the nave, is the most prominent feature of the church. A pair of gothic windows is located on the first floor of each of the three ex- 22222223 posed sides of the tower.| They are situated between the corner buttresses of the tower and, like the other first storey windows, rest on a continuous sill formed by the low string course noted above. A large, louvered gothic window is set in each side of the belfry marking the location of the bells inside. The spire of the church, also of glacial boulders, is divided into stages by a band of quarry-surfaced cut granite.

The lower stage has four Form 10-300a (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM (Continuation Sheet) STATE Massachusett OUNT Middlesex FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER NOY 3 1972 DATE (Number all entries) 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of Historic Assets, Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1970 state survey Massachusetts Historical Commission Archives Museum, State House Boston, Massachusetts 025 7. Physical Description sides with a narxow gothic dormer centered on each. Above the granite band, the spire is octagonal with four smaller dormers, one on each of its corner faces. In both belfry and spire, this tower bears a strong resemblance to that of Richard Upjohn's St. Paul's Church in Brookline. The main entrance porches on the two churches are also quite similar.

Much of the original interior of the Grace Episcopal Church has been pre- served. The wooden arches, beams and rafters in the roof are all original as are the dark wooden pews. The pulpit, chancel interior and rose window are also the work of Richardson. An addition was made to the church in 1882 on the south facade of the nave opposite the tower. The construction was done with glacial boulders and granite trim of a slightly darker shade than the original. The addition also differs from the original in the placement of the boulders. Early in the twentieth century another addition filled the remaining space south of the nave and west of the first addition, making the plan of the church almost square. The final addition was constructed in 1957. When completed it was as large as the first two and attached to their southern walls. The two latest additions are finished .

in a cream-colored stucco and covered with flat roofs. APR 3 1972

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD (Check One or More as Appropriate) - Pre-Columbian| 15th Century 16th Century 17th Century - 18th Century * 19th Century * 20th Century SPECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known) 1868-72 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Abor iginal - Education - Prehistoric Engineering J Historic - Industry - Agriculture Invention Architecture Landscape Art Architecture Commerce Literature Communications Military Conservation Music Political * Religion/Phi- losophy - Science Sculpture - Social/Human- itarian Theater - Transportation Urban Planning Other (Specify) STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

Grace Episcopal Church in Medford is the work of Henry Hobson Rich- ardson, the first architect to work in a truly American idiom. The com- mission for the church was won in a competition; the building was designed in 1867 and constructed 1868-72.' This is the second church designed by Richardson and, since the demoliton of the Church of the Unity in Spring- field, Massachusetts, it is the oldest church by the architect surviving in the United states. I In the belfry and spire of the tower and in the main entrance porch, the church bears a strong resemblance to Richard Upjohn's design for St. Paul's Church in Brookline, Massachusetts. / The most significant feature of the Grace Church is the walling of glacial boulders, which Richardson used here for the first time.

1 Several times in later life Richardson turned again to glacial boulders as walling materials; in the Ames Gate Lodge, the Gurney House, and the Paine House, all of the eighties. By that time his assurance had enormously increased as well as his command of scale, so that he used the glacial boülders with titanic boldness, almost as if he commanded the forces of nature. Yet, og these later examples, only the Ames, Gate Lodge is more successful than this first use of the theme. Three additons have been made to Richardson's original structure: the first in 1882, another early in this century and the fonal one in 1957. 'Henry Russe11 Hitchcock, The Architecture of H.H. Richardson and His Times (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1966),p. 69.1 10 APR RECEIVED 3 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER TTIL

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Henry Russell Hitchcock. The Architecture of H.H.Richardson and His Times. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1966. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY R CORNER LATITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds LONGITUDE LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PROPERTY OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES LATITUDE LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees. Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds NW 42 25 12 71 NE SE " SW APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: about one acre ILIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE: CODE COUNTY 07 00 STATE: CODE STATE: CODE STATE: CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME AND TITLE: Anne R.

Wardwell, Survey Director ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET AND NUMBER: Archives Museum, State House CITY OR TOWN: Boston STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICATION As the designated State Liaison Officer for the Na- tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. The recommended level of significance of this nomination is: Nationa1 State Local Name FX. JOHN F.X. DAVOREN CODE COUNTY: CODE COUNTY: CODE COUNTY: CODE DATE 3/2/72 STATE CODE Massachusetts NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION 025 I hereby certify that this property is included in the Nationa 1 Register.

Nokertm Utle Chief, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation Date 11/3/22 Title Secretary of the Commonwealth Chairman, Massachusetts Historical Commission Date 3/13/72 ATTEST birliwmf huuter,l Keeper of Th Date 1111.22 IONS 19 325850 469 Property State Gnace Efiespal Church Mass. Working Number 7./6.76.3763 TECHNICAL Photos _ 2 Maps- prddlesex CONTROL 7.20.26 HISTORIAN accept B. Grosvera 2/28/26 No STATeMENT OF SIGNIEEANT, UNUESt ReMDRR ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ENFRRS SIGNIRICANCE DOE TO LAWRENCE FAMILA ASSOCIATRD WIlh NeED SKETCH MAO TO CLARIFY RELATIONSHA OF BunDINES. ShReT LEBOUKY 10.22.76 Is COMMERCIAL BLDE INCLUDED MO.

ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 12-2-26 Send-back Re-submit BRANCH CHIEF accep Cole 10.28.76 KEEPER Uom 1/1/14 Entered NOV 3 1976 INT:2106-74 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 Nov. 3,1972 NPS Number- Title: Grace Episcopal C hunh 1oo. middleset Co., mass.

Front facade from nosth-nostheast Photo neg 70: 2490 COPY OF CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION Medto High Grace Epis Chuch 11/70-1317 Z - = F - Form 10-301 (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with map) STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Middlesex NOV 3 FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER 1972/ 181 RECEIVED APK S1972 NATIONAL REGISTER DATE NAME COMMON: Grace Episcopal Church AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCATION STREET AND NUM BER: 160 High Street CITY OR TOWN: Medford STATE: CODE 025 Massachusetts 3. MAP REFERENCE SOURCE: U.S.G.S. BOSTON North, Massachusetts SCALE: 1:24,000 DATE: 1956 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. Property broundaries where required. 2. North arrow. 3. Latitude and longitude reference.

COUNTY: Middlesex CODE 017 South 158 WINGT Reservor 2 Fells Reserioin 265 4699 20 /WINCHESTER (P.O.) 2 MI. (LEXINOTON) 4701 Davenport Sch Gien xood O ak G ro Beller Interu CLELONA Courthouses JT H S À08 42 25 12 807 ROR D 4cNatly . Playgroundi Roberte Jr H S Immaculate.c Conception Schools>? Emerson (ED) Franklin, Sch Pipygraung1 dENtRAL E Swan! Sch -Logani 1 Park > Devir : - Park Edgeworth MEPFORO [Gasoljne?? RIVER Grace Episcopal Church U.S.G.S. North Boston, Mass. - 1956 Scale 1:24,000 8 lo Towers C WEE!)O 110 RECEÎVED APR 3 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER ON Welfington 5-Bridgel [WHIL) Tower MALDE Mud Armory 4698 1697 100 :ET GTON (TOWN HALL) 2.3 ANAVISET Park) GEFE 07'30" 2+CAMBRIDGE (CITY HALL) 0.8 M 327 BOSTON (HARVARD BRIDGE) 2.2 MI Mapped, edited, and published by the Geological Survey Contro! by USC&GS, USCE, Mass. Harbor & Land Commission, and Mass.

Geodetic Survey. Tonogranhy hy nlanatahle cundue 1012 A.ItHPA VAMIAAA L. he Lawis -Sche Wes Playgrounc Hender 105 MYSTIC' a'Gasoline Bridge RIVBREND Hanscom Sch/3 ast somervil Pre 710000 FEETI BOSTON (STATE HOUSE) 1.7 MI (BOST SCAL MN GN The Commonvealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary Prate House, Boston 02133 John F. X. Daroren Secretary of the Commonwoealth March 20, 1972 Office of Archeology & Historic Preservation National Park Service 801 Nineteenth Street, N. W. Washington, D.C. CERTIFIED MAIL Attention: Miss Mary C. Means Enclosed are National Register submissions for: 1. Grace Episcopal Church, Medford, Massachusetts 2. Historic Boston Harbor, Boston, Massachusetts These have been declared eligible for submission by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the State Review Board, and has been signed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, John F. X.

Davoren, Chairman, Massachusetts Historical Commission and designated State Liaison Officer. Sincerely yours, Richard W. Hale, Jr. Acting Chairman Massachusetts Historical Commission RWH/akc enclosures 16) RECEiVED APR 3 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSITTS Date Entered NOV 3 1972 Name Location Grace Episcopal Church North Easton Historic District Medford Middlesex County Easton Bristol County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Båward W. Brooke Hon. Tozbert H, MacDonald Hon. Margaret M. Heckler Director, Northeast Region PHR NRowland :mm 11/6/72 State Liaison Officer Hon. John F. X. Davozen Secretary of the Comnonveaith Chaimman, Massachusetts Historical 40 Beacon Street Canmession Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Grace Parish Telephone 396-0362 Episcopal Church 160 High Street Medford, Mass. 02155 The Reverend Robert M.

Durkee Rector 5 January 1973. The National Historic Landmarks Program Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation National Park Service Department of the Interior 18th and C Streets, N.W. Washington, D.C. Gentlemen: Recently, Grace Church, Medford was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as being the oldest existing church of the Architect Henry Richardson. We have had num- erous visits from faculty and students of nearby universi- ties and the Vestry is anxious to have the building identi- fied as an Historic Landmark. The Secretary of the Commonwealth has suggested that I write to your office to request the bronze plaque and certificate which would designate Grace Church as an His- toric Landmark. We are proud to be listed in the National Register and assume the responsibility for the heritage and distinction that has come to Grace Church.

on 11/3/12 Sincerely, dalulabrulee RMD : bm - -. 5 Marur FEB 14 19/5 H34-PHR The Reverend Robert M. Durkee Rector Grace Episcopal Church 160 High Street Medford, Massachusetts 02155 Dear Reverend Durkee: We are pleased to acknowledge your letter concerning Grace Church, Nedford, which was listed in the National Register of Ilistoric Places on November 3, 1972. There are severalmeans by which historic properties are entered in the National Register. Grace Church was nominated through a state nominatfon submitted to our office by the State Liaison Officer for historic preservation in Massachusetts, The Honorable John F. X. Davoren, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Chafrman Massa- chusetts Historical Comnission, 40 Beacon Street, Beston, Massachu- setts 02133.

Properties are also automatically listed in the National Register when they are designated ilational Historic Landmarks by the Secretary of the Interior upon the recommendation of the Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings, and Monuments. Only those peoper- ties listed in the National Register as National Historic Landmarks are eligible to receive bronze plaques upon request from the Depart- ment of the Interior. Although no plaques are available for proper- ties nominated through the states, some states have established thefr ovn programs. For this reason you might wish to write the Honorable John F. X. Davoren for information pertinent to any such program in Massachusetts. Enclosed are brochures which should clarify the difference betveen the Natfonal Historic Landnark and the National Register programs. -..+- Ltr, to Reverend Robert M. Durkee, Medford, Mass.

Subj: Grace Episcopal Church If after considering the criteria of national significance listed in the red brochure on National Historic Landmarks youfeelthat Grace Church meets the criteria you may wish to submit a request for its consideration as a National Historic Landmark to the onrector, national Park Service, U. S. Department of the Interior Nashington. D. C. 20240, outTining as fully as possible historical or architectural information bearing on its significance. Ne appreciateyour interest in historic preservation and hope that you will let us know if we may be of any further assistance. Sincerely yours, G Jerry L. Rogers Chief of Registration Natfonal Register Enclosures CC: The Hon. John F.X.

Davoren, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Chairman, Massachusetts Historical Commission, 40 Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02133 - w/cy inc Director, Northeast Region - w/cy inc LI - Mr. Winge PHR - w/cy inc FNP:RGreenberg:rls 2/13/73 SAmarusin BASIC FILES RETAINED IN PHR NOTIFICATION OF GRANT-IN-AID ACTION 1. STATE APPLICATION IDENTIFIER 730 70340 2. (Reserved for use by State central information reception agency) 3. GRANTOR: a. Federal agency Department of the Interior b. Organizational unit National Park Service c. Administering office - (1) Name Division of Grants (2) Address -- Street or P.O. Box 18th and C Streets NW. 4. FEDERAL AGENCY GRANT IDENTIFIER: a. Code 25-74-00090-00 City Washington State DC b. Title Grace Episcopal Church Development Zip Code 20240 c.

Purpose The Church, designed by H.H.Richardson in 1867, was constructed in 1868-72 & is the oldest surviving church by the architect in the U.s Project work will include plastering, painting, varnishing and restoration of the pipe organ. 5. GRANTEE: a. Name Massachusetts Mrs. Elizabeth R. Amadon, Exec. Dir., MA Historical Commission b. Address - Street or P.O. Box 40 Beacon St. Boston MA 02108 6. GRANTEE TYPE (Check only the single most applicable box) a. State b. Inter- c. County d. City state e. School district f. Special unit g. Community action 7. APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE 8. ACTION DATE Year Month Day Year Month 75 02 28 75 03 11. TYPE OF ACTION (Check as many boxes as apply to this action) o. New b. Continuation c. Supplemental grant grant grant (identify agency in item 16) Day 31 d. Change in existing grant ('Inureise in (2) Decreiose in duration 9.

EFFECTIVE STARTING DATE Yeor Month Day 75 / 03 31 h. Sponsored orgonization - 10. ENDING DATE Yeor Month 78 03 i. Other Day /30 (3) Cancellation (4) Increase(s) (5) Decrease($) 12. AMOUNT OF CONTRIBUTION o. Federal - (1) basic (2) Supplemental $2,000 13. CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (if none, clarify in item 16) b. State $2,000* o. Program Number 15.904 c. Local d. Giher $ b. Supplemental Program Number 14. AUTHORIZATION o. Federal Budget Accounts b. Public Laws 10-58-1040-0-1-405 Title Sec. 89 665 c. U.S. Code 16 u.S.C. 470 15. FACILITY LOCATION: (For facility grant actions only) a. Ciry 160 High St., Medford PL Title Sec. PL Title Sec. b. County Middlesex 16. REMARKS *Grace Episcopal Church Do 1 Use This Space Prepared by Ralph E. Thomas 523(139)-5054 STANDARD FORM 2 June 1970 Bureau of the Budget Circular A-98 240-101