Nomination for Wistariahurst

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SNOILONd Form 10-300 (Rev. 6-72) PH0016209 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HB No uT NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM STATE: Massachusetts COUNTY: Hampden FORNPS USE ONLY ENTRY DATE (Type all entries complete applicable sections) APR 2 3 1973 NAME C OMMON: Holyoke Museum of Natural History and Art AND/ OR HISTORIC: "Wistariahurst" Wse" LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: 238 Cabot Street CITY OR TOWN: Holyoke STATE Massachusetts RECEIVED JAN 3 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER CONGRESSIONAL DiSTRIET: Congressional Distriot CODE COUNTY: 025 Hampden CODE 013 3.

CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY (Check One) District Site OWNERSHIP STATUS Building Structure Object Public Private Both Public Acquisition: In Process Being Considered Occupied Unoccupied Preservation work in progres: 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) OWNER OF PROPERTY OWNER'S NAME: City of Holyoke (Holyoke Public Library Corporation) STREET AND NUMBER: CityHall CITY OR TOWN: Holyoke STATE: Massachusetts LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: Hampden County Registry of Deeds STREET AND NUMBER: - Comments Mass - CODE 025 Hampden CITY OR TOWN: STATE Springfield Massachusetts CODE 025 EPRESENTATION IN EXIST ING SURVEYS TITLE OF SURVEY: Inventory of Historic Assets, Commonwealth of Massachusetts DATE OF SURVEY: 1970 - Federal * State County DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: Local Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET AND NUMBER: 40 Beacon Street CITY OR TOWN: STATE: Boston Massachusetts CODE 025 STATE- COUNTY: FOR NPSOISE ONLY ENTRY NUNBER DATE DESCRIPTION (Check One) - Deteriorated CONDITION Excellent x Good Fair Ruins - Unexposed (Check One) (Check One) | Altered - Unaltered - Original Site DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known)PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

Wistariahurst, with its mansion, lawns and gardens, occupies a city block in Holyoke bounded by Beech (Route 202), Cabot, Pine and Hampshire Streets. Two large marble lions, imported from Italy in the 1880's, decorate either side of the Cabot Street walkway entrance. Rhododendrons, laurel, azaleas and other shrubs border the estate while the grounds contain rose beds, a small sunken pool and an oriental teahouse. What once was the carriage house is now a youth museum. The name of the mansion derives from the wistaria vines which cover most of its outer walls. The mansion is a clapboard structure and consists of three sections: the three-story original section, a two-story hall, attached to the west end, and a wing containing a conservatory and music room. The mansion is approached by a semi-circular drive which leads from Beech Street to the porte-cochere.

From here the entrance gives into the main hall, which is the newest part of the house. Designed in 1927 by Wilson, Eyre and McIllvaine, this two-story roow contains a marble lobby and circular staircase with decorative iron balustrade-m The music room (joined to the hall by the conservatory) was added in 1913. Its east wall is broken by a pair of bronze French doors while the west wall carries the decorative brickwork of the exterior chimney for the two fireplaces in the room. The oldest and most dominant portion of the mansion is the original three-story square house to which the main hall was attached. Built c. 1848, this section was moved to this location in sections in 1874. At this time, the roof was altered to its present Mansard style. Slate shingles cover the roof and segmentally arched pediments top the dormers.

Iwo porches, one above the other, are attached to the east side of this section. The lower one carries to the south side of the house and becomes a ground level terrace. _ -LBOE.LI B2DE202 Two interior features of the early part of the mansion are worthy of mention, 'the Chippendale Room, the wallpaper of which is in perfect condition, and the "Leather Room" which has walls covered in tooled, hand-painted leather. The plan of the music room is based on a basilica. A low platformed staging occupies the area of the apse. The aisles are formed by two ranges of paired Tuscan columns on plinths, each of which supports a full entablature with a deep modillioned and denticulated cornice. This cornice is echoed at the top of the walls of the room. From these cornices rise the barrel vaulted ceilings of the nave and aisles.

Below the cornice level, the walls are decorated by pilasters which echo the design of the columns. The cornice itself forms the decorative element for the floor of the musicians balcony which is located at the rear of the hall above the doorway. Supported by consodes,9 its balustrade is composed of decorated balusters and four plinths.The wall behind the balcony is semi-circular, its ceiling coved. Below the REHVED cony a Palladian-type arch, supported by Tuscan pilasters and Ionie columns' 1973 leads to the conservatory. JAN 3 NATIONAL The mansion is in good condition, but due to lack of funds, It haspeeesTER impossible to maintain the grounds properly. Thus the grounds require considerable work to restore them to their original plan and beauty.

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) (I1 Applicable and Known) 1848, 1874, 1913, 1927, 1959 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Abor iginal Education Prehistoric Engineering Historic Industry Agriculture L Invention Architecture (interiokLandscape Art Architecture Commerce Literature Communications Military Conservation Music Political Religion/Phi. losophy Science Sculpture Social/Human- itarian Theater Transportation 10 X 20th Century Urbon Rldrbing "RECENVED 10 JAN 3 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

Wistariahurst, the former estate of the Skinner family, occupies a city block in Holyoke, Massachusetts. For three generations, "skinner" was the leading word in the manufacture of silk and satin in the United States. The estate, built on the profits of that manufacture, includes the family mansion, the carriage house, extensive lawns, and formal gardens with an oriental tea- house. The first Skinner mill was built by William Skinner at Williamsburg, Massachusetts, in 1848. The business expanded rapidly and that town became known as "Skinnerville." In 1874, when the mill dam and buildings were des- troyed by a flood, the Holyoke Water Power Company contacted Skinner and in- vited him to relocate his business in Holyoke. As an inducement, Skinner was given the land on which Wistariahurst stands. The mills again prospered and played a major role in the economic growth of Holyoke.

The original section of the mansion was constructed c.r1848 in Williams- burg and was moved to its present location in 1874 when Skinner relocated. In 1913, a conservatory and music hall, designed by Luce of Philadelphia, were added to the southwest facade of the house. A second addition was made to the mansion in 1927. A two-story main hall, it includes a marble lobby and circular stairway; it was designed by Wilson Eyre. ::TEC- As well as being manufacturers, members of the Skinner family were also known as philanthropists and patrons of art and music. William Skinner was noted for his support of religious and educational institutions, including Grace and Holy Rosary Churches in Holyoke and Smith, Vassar and Mount Holyoke Colleges. William's son Joseph established the Joseph A.

Skinner Museum, which he bequeathed to Mount Holyoke College; he was also the donor of the S Skinner State Park, South Hadley. In 1916, Skinner's daughters, Belle and Katherine, established the Skinner Coffee House, which later became the Holyoke Community Center. Following World War I, Belle Skinner's work in the restora- tion of the Village of Hatton-Chatel in France gained her the title Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur. She was also internationally known for her collection of antique musical instruments. Originally housed in the music hall at wis- tariahurst, the collection is now at Yale University. artyed hae beeons the telyoke weeaa o tural, (continued) 10.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Johnson, Clifton. "Hampden County, 1636-1936". Publications of the Ameri- can Historical Society. New York, 1936. Vol. I, Pp. 278-81. Vol. II, pp. 650, 692, 706-08, 718-19. Lockwood, Rev. John H. et al. Western Massachusetts: A History, 1636-1925. New York, 1926. Vo1. III, Pp. 209-10, 439-41. Reference Library, Holyoke Transcript-Telegram. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY CORNER LATITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds 0 R LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PHOPERTY OF LESS THAN TEN ÁCRES LATITUDE LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds Minutes Seconds NW " 42 NE 12 17 Degrees 72° SE SW APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: approx.

2.5 acres ILIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE: CODE COUNTY 37 05 CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY:/A 8119 RECEIVEn CODE STATE: CODE COUNTYS CODE STATE: CODE COUNTYS NATIONAL REGISTER CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME AND TITLE: Polly Ann Matherly, Historian ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET AND NUMBER: 40 Beacon Street CITY OR TOWN: Boston STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICATION DATE November 6, 1972 STATE 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 c-iteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service.

The recommended level of significance of this nomination is: Local Name Vohu T.X. Oavosea John F. X. Davoren Secretary of the Commonwealth Title Chairman, Massachusetts Historical Commission I hereby certify that this property is included in the Nationa 1 Register. Potertu tle Director, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation Date11/28/72 Date 4/23/73 adema Date 4/16/2= GPO 931-894 - RUC IONS Form 10-300a UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (July 1969) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Hampden FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER (Continuation Sheet) APR DATE 2 3 1973 (Number all entries) 8.

Significance (continued) History and Art, and now houses collections of paintings and other art works, anthropological and geological specimens, and memorabilia of Holyoke's history; the carriage house has been converted into a youth museum. School groups are brought to Wistariahurst to view these collections and to study the architecture of the building. Art classes are held here during the academic year, and travelling art exhibits are presented on a monthly basis. Concerts are pre- sented in the music hall during fall, winter and spring. RECEiVED JAN 3 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER GPO 921.724 PROPERT Helngde OPusma f Vatural Fste ZTATE Maso WORKING NUMBER 2062 TECH REVIEW Photos Maps 2 L y'Wisteriahurst" 73000295 Hampden CONTROL REVIEW 2-22-23 Juie the bldg.

wai the home of the kenner fanily and they are so lspeitauct distor really l uste d 4/4/78 ARCHEOLOGIST REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Acapt catt. 15-73 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER 21613 use hastorio name please National Register write-up Federal Register entry. 4-5-73 Send-back Re-submit Entered APR 2 3 1973 narth exat-side view ? che Halyuse InSEum honung a Zhree dlau yaasloe sbeat s g lik Vetelen mifee b Victariase atyle The gabled windors Wkich protrude foom the flaar can le seen as mell a lhe Wiat Which aner the biildini ana bLeom FORM 10-301 A (6/72) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or en close with photograph) phi 1. NAME COMMON Holyoke Museum of Natural History and Art NUMERIC CODE (Assigned by AND/OR HISTORIC "Wistariahurst" APR / 2.

LOCATION STATE 19 Massachusetts STREET AND NUMBER COUNTY Hampden TOWN RECEIVED Holyoke CC 238 Cabot Street 3. PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Alan Chretian DATE JAN 3 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER 10/25/71 NEGATIVE FILED AT Holyoke Transcript 180 High Street, 4. IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. exterior view of building taken from the northeast NPS Number _ _4/23/73 Title: Wistarshurst LOC. HAMpOeN, OASS.. viEw of Music_RooM Viou o music soom, Zaton foom frent o, so FORM 10-301 A (6/72) PROPERI UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or en close with photograph) 1. NAME COMMON Holyoke Museum of Natural History and Art AND/OR HISTORIC "Wistariahurst" INUMERIC CODE (Assignec 2.

LOCATION STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Hampden STREET AND NUMBER 238 Cabot Street 81/19 RECENED JAN 3 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER TOWN Holyoke 3. PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT DATE Grenier-Ducharme 10/71 TNEGATIVE FILED AT Grenier-Ducharm 284 Pine Street 4. IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. view of music room, showing musicians' balcony above door at real Form 10-301 (July 1968) 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) AND/OR HISTORIC "Wistariahurst" 1. NAME COMMON Holyoke Museum of Natural History and Art 2. LOCATION STATE Massachusetts STREET AND NUMBER 238 Cabot Street COUNTY Hampden 3. MAP REFERENCE SOURCE DATE U.S.G.S 1958 Springfield, North, Mass.

REQUIREMENTS: PROPERTY BOUNDARIES, WHERE REQUIRED, AND NORTH ARROP> NumERIC CoDE (Assigned by NPS) APR 2 3 1973 TOWN Holyoke 10 SCALE 1924,000 1la RECEIVED TIL JAN 3 1973 NATIONAL IZIT REGISTER GPO 932.010 FASTHAMPTON 52 MI 4212'30" 4675 1181/19 RECEIVED JAN 3 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER 4672 4671 10' Votre Dame CONNECTICUT "MAINÉT *-0 Sta Cemf 72 35.00 Power Plant ale OK Elmwoo HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS WISTARIAHURST U.S.G.S. Springfield, North, Mass. N4207.5 - W7230/7.5 1958 AMS 6468 II NE - SERIES V814 42° 72° 12' 37' 17" 05"' Kirby LÉTON Ist Stanislaus Cempetery LiBOSTON C0O N denville 1 Theater. INTERCHANGE -Tollgate ¡Playground" St Rosés; Grounal Szetela es The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary Massachusetts Histonical Commission Boston, Mass. 02108 John F. X. Davoren Pecretary of the Commonrvealch December 18, 1972 Mr.

Jerry Rogers, Chief of Registration National Register of Historic Places National Park Service 1100 L Street N W Washington, D.C. 20005 CERTIFIED MAIL Dear Mr. Rogers: Enclosed are National Register submissions for: 1. Essex County, Wenham Wenham Historic District 2. Essex County, Marblehead Elbridge Gerry House 3. Hampden County, Holyoke Holyoke Museum of Natüral History & Art These have been declared eligible for submission by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the State Review Board, and have been signed by Secretary of the Commonwealth John F.X. Davoren, State Liason Officer. Sincerely yours, Bob / Robert B. Rettig Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Commission Enc. ATIBL19IO RECÊIVED JAN 3 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER ALTETTETIE 3 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Date Entered STATE MASSACHUSETTS APR 2 3 1973 Name Wistariahurst Roxbury High Fort E11ot (John) Square Districe.

The Wayalde Inn Hlistorie District Location Holyoke Haupden County Boston (Roxbury Distriet) Suffolk County Boston (Rorbury District) Suffoik County Sudbury Niddlesex County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy lon. Edward W. Erooke Hon. Silvio 0. Conte Hon. John Hoakley Hon. Kobert Drinan Director, Northeast Region PHR Eon. Jobn F. Z. Davoren Secretaty of the Coumonwealth Chairman, Massachusetts ilistorical Connisaioa 40 Beacon Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 NRowland: pcl 5/7/73