Nomination for Lenox Library

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form 10-300 (July 1969) PH000587845 po ufm UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STATE: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Massachusetts COUNTY: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM Berkshire FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) DATE APR 3 NAME COMMON: Lenox Library AND/OR HISTORIC: Second Berkshire County Court House LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: 18 Main Street RECÊIVED OCT 3 0 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER N CITY OR TOWN: Lenox STATE Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY (Check One) District Site Building Structure CODE COUNTY: 025 Berkshire CODE 003 OWNERSHIP STATUS Obiect 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 .

D0iSrarci) OWNER OF PROPERTY OWNER'S NAME: Lenox Library Association STREET AND NUMBER: 18 Main Street CITY OR TOWN: STATE: L5.

Lenox Massachusetts LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: Central Berkshire County Registry of Deeds STREET AND NUMBER: 24 Wendell Avenue CITY OR TOWN: STATE - Comments CODE L025 Pittsfield Massachusetts CODE 025 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE OF SURVEY: Inventory of Historical Assets of the Commonwealth DATE OF SURVEY: - Federal State - County - Local DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: STREET AND NUMBÉR: Massachusetts Historical Commission & (Berk.Co.Hist.Soc Archives Museum, State House CITY OR TOWN: STATE: APR Boston Massachusetts CODE 025 STATE: COUNTY: ENTRY NUMBER DATE FOR NPS USE ONLY DESCRIPTION (Check One) X] Excellent - Good -Fair - Deteriorated Ruins - Unexposed CONDITION ?#Altered (Check One) (Check One) - Unaltered - Moved -9 Origiral Site DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

Ine original portion oi this building is rectangular in form (48' x 62') with the long axis perpendicular to the street. It is a two-story brick structure with a low pitched hip roof SUr- rounded by a parapet composed of alternate lattice and paneled segments. An open cupola supported by eight slender columns surmounts the front. A 1787 bell hangs on a sawbuck frame in this cupola. The street facade is three bays wide with a slightly pro- jecting portico which is supported by two pairs of engaged Ionic columns. These are two stories high. The frieze and architrave stop a few inches short of the corner of the buila- ing and are supported by Ionic pilasters set in somewhat from the edge of the facade. (See photo). The cornice is ornamen- ted with dentils. This facade is symmetrical with the entrance centered. The doorway has narrow side lights and a semi-ellip- tical fanlight above.

First floor windows are set in slightly recessed arch-topped panels. All windows, front and side are double-hung six-over-six sash. Those on the south facade facing an adjacent building have been equipped with protective roll-down iron fire shutters. All windows have wooden shutters, louvered on the second floor, solid on the ground floor. The foundation above the ground is sawn marble. There are eight original brick chimneys, four on each side. In 1889 an addition considerably larger than the original court house was constructed. Ihis two-story brick structure has a hip roof and Ibuvered cupola. This section contains Sedgwick Hall, an auditorium which has a separate entrance with classical portico, engaged Ionic columns and fanlight somewhat similar to the original front but reduced in vertical propor- tions. TIOI LITII 112 RECENED IIITI2IL OCT 3 0 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER 91 -

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 SPECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known) 1815-16, 1889 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Abor iginal Education - Prehistoric Engineering Historic Industry Agriculture Invention Architecture Landscape Art Architecture Commerce Literature Communications Conservation Military Music @ Political Religion/Phi- losophy Science Sculpture Social/Human- itorian Theater Transportation STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

20th Century - Urban Planning - Other (Specify) The front or original portion of this building was designed by Capt. Isaac Damon (1781-1862) of Northampton and constructed in 1815-1816 to serve as Berkshire County Court House. tinued in this capacity until 1869 when the county seat was moved to Pittsfield. Damon's original drawings for the build- ing and contract agreements are preserved in the lenox library which now occupies the structure. The builders were Ashbel Hill of Lenox and Rufus Wright of Northampton. Sedgwick Hall, part of the addition built in 1889 was the scene of the annual Horticultural Ball, patriotic meetings occasioned by the Spanish-American War, high school graduations, lectures, concerts, and réceptions. Mrs. Grover Cleveland danced on its floor. At one time a front room in the original building was rented to the lenox National Bank.

Several offices on the second floor were rented. Among early tenants were Senator Post and the sole village physician, Dr. E. P. Hale. In 1895 Benjamin Rogers established the first telephone exchange in Lenox in a rear office. In short, this building has been, since its erection, a focal point of Berkshire County and Lenox activities. continues to serve as outstanding library, summer art gallery and concert and lecture facility. ill 101 91 RECEIVED OCT 3 0 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER (EU) To 0.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Merrill, David "Isaac Damon and the Southwick Column Papers" Old Time New England Vol. IIV No. 2 Fall 1963, Boston: Society for the Preservation of England Antiquities pp 48-58 Wood, David H. Lenox Massachusetts Shire Town; Published by Town of Lenox, 1969 pp 115-122 Council on Arts and Humanities 1966-67 report p.

7 GEOGRAPHICALDATA LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY 0 DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PROPERTY R OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES CORNER LATITUDE LONGITUDE LATITUDE LONGI TUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes NW Seconds 42 ° 21 - 27½* NE " 73° 17' 06" SE " SW APPROXIMA TE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: 42,665 square feet ILIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE: CODE COUNTY CODE STATE: CODE CONOL CODE STATE: CODE KOONTY: RECEIVED CODE 00 STATE: CODE QCT 30-1972 EOUNTNATIONAL N CODE FORM PREPARED BY REGISTER NAME AND TITLE: Donald S.

Smith OTIGTH ORGANIZATION DATE Berkshire County Historical Society June 13, 1972 STREET AND NUMBER: 113 tast Housatonic Street CITY OR TOWN: STATE Pittsfield STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICATION Massachusetts NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION CODE 025 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: National State Local I hereby certify that this property is included in the Nationa 1 Register. sokerth Utle Chiet, Office of Archeology and Hiftoric Preservation 43/73 Name Se Title 1T.X. Waver etary of the Commonwealth and nairman, Mass.

Historical Commission Date ATTEST: Date October 17, 1972 Date vom Muut Keeper of Ti National Registe 3.26-73 M IONS mosimatenot Library Working_number TECH REVIEW 2 snt mass 10.30.72.1638 Berkshire Photos Maps REVIEW 1-26 73 HISTORIAN (more locolsiqn than state) ok Accept- Aml 3/7/73 ARCHEOLOGIST ARCHITECT Accept chmy 3-14-23 - accit Catl 3-14-23 BRANCH CHIEF 322/95 EDITORIAL REVIEW KEEPER ton 3/26/7 11/2/72 National Register write-up: Federal Register entry _6e-5- ?3 Acknowledge Send-back Re-submit - Register no. APR 3 1979 LENOX LIBRARY LENOX LIBRARY ASSOCIATION LENOX, MASSACHUSETTS NPS Number Title: 4/3/73 LENOx bibRARy Loc. Beekshier, Mass. -FRONt fASADE DetAil PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER Lli Elde Dhatryapphe Plcan cop, fap, lokr and rifll zide macks, lease shite boizen hitt an Lenoy Library Resountion Lenoy Nass.

NPS Numbe: Title:L PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Berkshire FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER R 9 Loc. Ber _FrON U = 4 NAME COMMON: Ienox Library AND/OR HISTORIC: Second Berkshire County Court House LOCA TION STREET AND NUMBER: 18 Main Street CITY OR TOWN: Lenox 2110 RECEVED STATE: CODE COUN OCT 32 1972 Massachusetts 025 PHOTO REFERENCE NATIONAL REGISTER PHOTO CREDIT: Lili Elde DATE OF PHOTO: not dated NEGATIVE FILED A Lenox Iibrary IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. Front or west facade at left. Also shows south facade and part of rear wing with its entrance.

Z - Z - Form 10-301 (July 1969) UNITED STATASI 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 Berkshire FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER APR 3 1973 DATE 2 3 NAME COMMON: Ienox Library AND/OR HISTORIC: Jecond Berkshire County Court House LOCATION STREET AND NUM BER: 18 Main Street CITY OR TOWN: Lenox STATE: CODE COUNTY: 025 Berkshire Massachusetts MAP REFERENCE SOURCE: U. S. G. S. Stockbridge Quadrangle SCALE: 1:24000 DATE: 1959 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. Property broundaries where required. 2. North arrow. 3. Latitude and longitude reference.

RECEIVED OCT 3 O 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER CODE 603 rS WORKS The Marsh Lily Pond Rattlesnake Hill E Sawmill X Leno» M i264A STOCKBRIDGE QUADRANGLE MASSACHUSETTS-BERKSHIRE CO 7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC) 120 000 FEET 72T illow C, 960 - HUBBARD Sawni STuech WIiLam CREEK 1116 LOUSATONGA! 20 73°15 42°22'30 4692 RD 500 000 FEET LENOX, MASSACHUSETTS LENOX LIBRARY U.S.G.S. Stockbridge, Mass. N4215 -W7315/7.5 1959 AMS 6368 IV SE - SERIES V814 42° 21' 274" 73° 17' 06" TO U.S. 20 129 OCT/3 0 1972 Laurst * HolN JONAL Sch Lake = SUMMER :D -GDLDEN HILL!

LENOXDALE RO The Pinnacle _WEST 060% U STATE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) Mass COUNTY Berkshuz FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER NAME COMMON: Lenox Library AND/OR HISTORIC: Second Berkshire County Court House 2. LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: 00 18 Main Street CITY OR TOWN: Lenox STATE: Massachusetts CODE 025 COUNTY: Berkshire 3 PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT: Iili Eide not dated PATEOVEHItED "Lenox Ilbrary 4. IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. RECEVENI OCT 3 0 1972 NATIONAL REGISTER Front facade detail showing engaged columns. DATE N ODE 003 6.

ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE Date Entered MASSACHUSERTS APR 3 1973 Name Location Director, Northeast Region 4/11/73 NRowland : mm PHR City Hall Salen Essex County Lenox Iiheary Lenox Berkshire County Mochanica Hlock Histoxia Distriot Iawzence Essex County Bove Village Eistoric Distriot Boxford Essox. County Claflin-Richamle louse Wenham Essex Codnty Mohawk Trail vicinitles of Charlemont, Plorida,and Savoy Berkshire and Franklín Countica Fort Nashington Cambridge Miadlesex County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Bon. Idward W. Erooke Hon. Michael J. Hurrington Fon. Silvio 0. Conta Hon. Paul Cronin Eon, Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. State uistoric Preservation Offices Eon. John P. X. Davoren Secxetary of the Cormonvealth Chairman, Hassachueetts listorical Conmission 40 Beacon Street Doston, Massachusetts 02103