Nomination for Roxbury High Fort

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form 10-300 (July 1969) PH0006467 HB Zn/9 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 327770 4687340 STATE: Massachusetts COUNTY: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) Suffolk FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER APR 2 3.1973 DATE NAME COMMON: Highland Park AND/ OR HISTORIC: Roxbury High Fort wsecher, LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: Beech Glen St., Fort Avenue CITY OR TOWN: Boston (Roxbury District) STATE Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY (Check One) District X Site Building Structure X - Object Public Private Both Congressional District 9 CODE 025 COUNTY: Suffolk CODE 025 OWNERSHIP STATUS Public Acquisition: In Process Being Considered Occupied Unoccupied X Preseryation work 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 RECEIVEE comiments Orher (Speci) 27197 NATTONAL- REGISTER N OWNER OF PROPERTY OWNER'S NAME: City of Boston-Parks and Recreation Department STREET AND NUMBER: City Hall CITY OR TOWN: Boston LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: Registry of Deeds - Suffolk County Courthouse STREET AND NUMBER: Somerset Street CITY OR TOWN: STATE: Massachusetts CODE 025 STATE CODE Boston REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE OF SURVEY: Boston Landmarks Commission DATE OF SURVEY: 1969-72 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: Boston Redevelopment Authority STREET AND NUMBER: City Hall CITY OR TOWN: Boston Massachusetts 025 Federal State County Local STATE: Massachusetts CODE 025 STATE: Massachusetts COUNTY: Suffolk ENTRY NUMBER 2 3 1973 FOR NPS USE ONLY 12 DESCRIPTION RECEN Excellent - CONDITION - Good 2 7 187Bair (Check One) Deteriorated X Affeted NATIO Onaltersd DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND OErGiNAL (REZdIn) PHYSiGAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

Ruins Moved - Unexposed (Check One) * Original Site Highland Park comprises 3.66 acres of open land situated on the crest of a rocky hill in Roxbury, commanding a dramatic view of Boston. The park, bounded by Beech Glen St., Fort Avenue, Fort Ave. Terrace, 15 an integral part of a residential nelghborhood of brick row. houses and detached wood structures,where curving streets conform to the hilly topography. Natural outcroppings of puddingstone cover much of the park area, otherwise overgrown with natural grass and weeds. At the highest point a Victorian water standpipe mounted on an earthen platform marks the area of a Revolutionary War fort.&Curving walkways lead from three entrances around the park to the standpipe and fort. These walks form a partial circuit, incomplete only on the south where puddingstone formations would interfere with grading or paving.

walks are connected to the top platform by granite steps one flight on each of the southwest and southeast sides and five flights on the northwest. There is a puddingstone embankment on the northeast side ofthe fort andstairs. A puddingstone retaining wall with one opening forms a boundary along Fort Avenue Terrace to the entrance on Beech Glen Street. At the extension of the line of Glen Fort Avenue Terrace, natural puddingstone formations eliminate the need for a wall. The fort is a quadrangular earthen platform with bastions at each corner and a concrete paving outline, occupying a quarter of the land area. An 1875-1917 program of restoration and revitalization created a partial reconstruction of the Revolutionary War fort, situated on the highest point of the hill in the northwest corner.

ae peleru The standpipe, constructed in 1869 as a functional device of Boston's Cochituate Water System, rises from the northeast corner :1: of the fortplatform. The exterior standpipe is a brick, granite trimmed, circular tower; however, a gabled octagonal base and a gabled octagonal observatory articulate an additional design concept. A gabled attendant's office added to the base in 1907 reinforces the theme. Small lancet-arched windows which are staggered in the outside wall harmonize with the pointed steeple which crowns the observatory. Cast iron finials and spire once graced both the steeple and observatory. Missing also from the latter is an iron balcony added in 1907. Inside the structure an ironpipe five feet in diameter and eighty feet high remains, although no Tonger containing water.

A spiral staircase butlt within a three foot space between the iron pipe and masonry leads to the 100kout. Of the many commemorative markers placed on the site throughout the years only two remain: a memorial marker on the standpipe lists the brigades of men who were involved with the fort in the Revolutionary War; another memorial marker placed in 1877 indicating the site of the fort stands just off to the north side of the standpipe. [continued] m Form 10-300a (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM STATE COUNTY Massachusetts Suffolk FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER Boston, Highland Park (Number all entries) 7. Description (Continuation Sheet) #1 APR To date the most obvious changes to the site and structure have been the result of neglect since the 1930's.

Most of the vegetation -- grass, weeds, and a few small trees -- is uncultivated natural growth. The puddingstone retaining walls are basically in good condition, although mortar patchings are necessary in some areas. A few scattered rusty iron bars, remnants of play equipment, pierce the undergrowth. The lines of the reconstructed fort have been obscurred by erosion and growth of grass and weeds. The concrete pavement outline is now cracked and uneven, although slabs of new concrete have been added in a few areas. On the exterior of the standpipe, the brick and mortar have deteriorated; most of the paint has peeled; the roofs are gaping. The standpipe is no tse staedi te longer used as an observation tower; therefore, the entrance is locked, and the windows have been boarded or bricked.

In the octagonal base and attendant's office, the pointed arches have been filled with brick, and the entrance arch has been filled to fit a rectangular double door, now boarded. Recently the City removed the hazardous balcony and added six concrete benches and ten globe lamps to accommodate those local residents who still enjoy the park. DATE R 3 1973 RECÉIVEO cò MAR 2 7 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER 21/191 SICNIFIGANGE PERIOD (Check One or More as Appropriate) Pre-Columbian | 15th Century - 16th Century 17th Century XI 18th Century X 19th Century 20th Century 'SPECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known) 1775, 1869-70 AREAS OF

The rest of the file

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

SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Abor iginal - Education - Prehistoric. Engineering:. - Historic Industry nluvi -. Agriculture. Architecture X Landscape Architecture Commerce Communications Conservation Literature Xl Military Music Political Religion/PhiL losophy Science :- Sculpture Social/Human- itarian Theater Transportation - Urban Planning X Other (Specify) Tagegraphic RECEIVED Co MAR 2 7 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER STATEMENTUOF SIGNIFICANCE *Highland Park's significance is of manifold importance in She topographical, military, architectural, and landscape history of Boston. The strategic location of the highlands gave it topographical sig- nificance. Situated on the top of a hill, the site overlooked the only land route in and out of Boston (along the neck) during the eighteenth century.

Because of this location, Highland Park earned military significance as one of the first sites selected for fortification during the Revolutionary Built in the summer of 1775 from the designs of Henry Knox and Josiah Waters (Minuteman Generals), the fort was a quadrangular earthwork about twelve roads square with a bastion at each corner and embankments eight feet to fifteen feet high. Major-General Wm. Heath, a commanding officer in the Roxbury area, mentioned this fort as "being perhaps the first attempt at a regular fortification" (in the colonies). During the seige of Boston, the High Fort was a vital section of the encirclement which pre- the British from receiving supplies and reinforcements and eventually forced their evacuation. Residents and mayors of. Roxbury_in the first half of the nineteenth century attempted to preserve High Fort as a Revolutionary landmark.

The plans were futile, however, and the fort fell into disrepair. The architecture prominence of the site was established when it became a part of Boston's Cochituate Water System. Between 1869 and 1870, a year after the annexation of Roxbury to Boston, the old fort was demolished to make way for the construction of a standpipe to provide fresh water for the Roxbury area. Designed by Messrs. Standish and Woodbury to enhance the site, this circular brick tower with its granite trimmings, gabled roofing, and decorative fenestration remains a significant example of Victorian Gothic architecture. Despite the rare qualities of this standpipe in 1880, its functional aspects became obsolete when the city abandonned the Cochituate Water System. Highland Park had attracted over its first one hundred years a Revo- lutionary fort and a Victorian standpipe.

Each was placed on the crest for its functional topographic advantages; however, the site outlived [continued] MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Bradlee, Nathaniel J. History of the Introduction of Pure Water into the City of Boston with a Description of its Cochituate Water Works, 1868 Drake, Samuel Francis Town of Roxbury 1878 Fitzgerald History of the Water Works 1868-1876 1876 Lossing, Benson J.

Field-Book of the American Revolution 1852 [eontinued] GEOGRAPHICAL DATA LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES 0 R DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PROPERTY OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES CORNER LATITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds LATITUDE LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds NW 42° NE 19 - 30.5" 71 05° SE " APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: four acres LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUMTY EQUNDARIES COUNTY STATE: CODE COUNTY: RECENED 00 STATE: CODE COUNTY: MAR 2 7 1975 NATIONAL STATE: CODE COUNTY: REGISTER N CODE CODE CODE CODE FORMPREPARED BY NAME AND TITLE: Marcia Myers (BRA) for Elizabeth R.

Amadon, Survey Director ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET AND NUMBER: 40 Beacon Street CITY OR TOWN: STATE Boston Massachusetts DATE January 1973 CODE 025 T2. STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICATION NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION 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 Nationa1 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 Name AhtkDonu Secret cy of the Commonwealth and Chairkan, Massachusetts Historical Title Commission I hereby certify that this property is included in the Nationa1 Register.

Potertn Utleu Chief, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation Date 4/23/15 ATTEST: March 21, 1973 Date Date eeper ( National Registe 4/18/93 m INSTRUCTIONS Form 10-300a UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STATE (July 1969) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES COUNTY INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM Massachusetts Boston, Highland Park (Number all entries) 8. Significance (Continuation Sheet) #2 Suffolk FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER APR 3 iS the usefulness of both architectual monuments. Having been transferred from the city's Water Department to the Park Department the structures and grounds had suffered. In 1895, the site received deserved attention. At that time appropriations were made to restore the well-known tower and 1ts grounds.

Under pressure from the Roxbury Milltary Historical Society (now the Roxbury Historical Society) the Superintendant of the Common and Public Grounds commissioned Frederick Law 0lmsted, master landscape architect, to prepare an extensive renovation. 01msted's involvement extended through his firm until 1916. The improvements carried out between 1895 and 1916 as a result of Olmsted's proposals included: reconstruction of the quadrangular shape of the fort; creations of walkways and seating arrangements to follow the puddingstone terrain; the planting of appropriate vegetation; construction of a retaining wall on Fort Avenue; and the addition of a battery of four revolutionary cannons and gun carriages. For the standpipe, appropriations included adding an iron balcony, an attendant's office, and bronze memorial plaques.

Finally the edge of park was extended approximately 44,000 square feet to the northwest which gave a protective boundary from later neighborhood construction. After the restoration, the park was compared favorably with the Bunker Hill Monument both for historic significance and the pleasurable view of the city. As a result Highland Park once again emerged as an important landmark in the city - this time as significant Tandscape architecture. The park today still commands community interest and civic pride, although the problems of the surrounding neighborhoods are great. Develop- ment plans for the area recognize the importance of Highland Park as an open space area combining recreational value and visual and historic features linking the community to its past.

3 191 1011 RECEiVED MAR 27 NATIONAL 71 REGISTER Form 10-300g UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (July 1969) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Suffolk FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER Boston, Highland Park (Continuation Sheet) #3 (Number all entries) 9. Bibltography 01msted Associates Inc. records, photos, plans, 1895, 1911-1913 Shurcliff, History and Description of Boston Metropolitan Parks 1900 DATE 2 3 1373 Wheildon, William Paul Revere's Signal Lanterns -.. and the Monument at Highland Park Winsor, Justin, ed. Memorial History of Boston 4V. 1880 191110 RECEIVED MAR 8 7 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER PROPERTY uhll WORKING NUMBER TECH REVIEW PRgly For STATE MASS. 3.27.73.2633 SuFFoK Photos/ Maps 2 CONTROL REVIEW HISTORIAN marginel sign.

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN - - 00 - 10, T1112 RECEIVED MAR 2 7 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER E IHT 1STT TN 3-29- 13 sccept- AML 3/29/73 Rood prato Accept 3 gree of tower 4/2/73 ARCHEOLOGIST inreutored by Hitsk 4/4/73. REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Name - "Roxtury High Fork" acept cato 4-2-73 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER ZolPLA 4/13/93 National Register write-up Federal Register entry _ Send-back 1-5-73 Re-submit Entered Photograph APR 23 1973 NPS Number 4/23/13 Title: Raxbury High tort Loc.

Suffalt moss viEN of stanapipe feom sout 1osting Noeth PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER 3 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 Suffolk FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER 2 3 1973 NAME COMMON: Highland Park AND/OR HISTORIC: Roxbury High Fort LOCATION STREET AND NUM BER: Beech Glen Street, Fort Avenue CITY OR TOWN: Boston (Roxbury District) STATE: Massachusetts MAP REFERENCE SOURCE: USGS Boston South, Mass. SCALE: 1:24,000 DATE: 1956 REQUIR EMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. Property broundaries where required. 2. North arrow. 3. Latitude and longitude reference.

CODE 025 COUNTY: Suffolk RECÊIVEO MAR 2 Y 1973 NATIOMAL REGISTER N DATE CODE 025 Form 10-301 uly(969) 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 COUNTY Massachusetts Suffolk FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER PPR 2 DATE 1973 NAME COMMON: Highland Park AND/OR HISTORIC: Roxbury High Fort LOCATION STREET AND NUM BER: Beech Glen Street, Fort Avenue CITY OR TOWN: Boston (Roxbury District) STATE: Massachusetts CODE COUNTY: 025 Suffolk MAP REFERENCE SOURCE: Photogrammetric maps compiled 1962 from ariel photos, Spring, 1961 Fairchild Aerial Survey, Inc., L.A., Calif. SCALE: 1"- 100' DATE: 1962 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. Property broundaries where required. 2. North arrow. 3. Latitude and longitude reference.

NECEIVED MAR 2 7 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER 9> CODE 025 4800 1457 8.1469 2101 5504 Z 595/ 8400 "Ye" 16 4003 1392 63750 1396 PARK 12/58111 1397 1397 1397 ((3960) 10 4500 1397 1396 1615 1397 1606 1397 6> 1606 |1397 63 1606 1397 63 (1506 1606 FORT 59 5<1606 1606 1606 C1438 B1438 R1606 80 E 1607 51575 C E1575 1575 1625 3> 14,435 O 3 24,0 CEDAR [/413 1412 PARK 16 3975 2775 2872 2150 2720 AVENUE ü2227 8, 3648 PARK ST.

29/4 3962 HIGHLAND 2753 CEDAR 26 (y3500 5298) 460C 6375 14,896 10,881 6341 23/21 5242 7108 1848 ?060 083 30 9810 5782 2332 2434 2006 44,356 HIGHLAND -PARK STANDPIPE- ROXBURY U.S.C.aG.SA 3715 2945 3192 E255 3439 2510 2910 12 2655 3109 62 114,065 2184 6964 1538 2185 F..18 4 2575 AN OAKVIEW 5708 2904 5042 95 20,406 125 2746 S, 3000 HE 3000 72I01 4330 BLEN 100 1Q23 5072 $,92 3620 % 5094 5189 = 2133 NATIOMAL 02T 8400 4980 49/4 5961 T520 1425p REGISTE20S 1900 3/40 THWING 4493 100° 050 A 1844 TREE* 18,979 73732 663 342 2 3 AVEN 166C 1640 6209 Tir 1154C 13a1 153 1/2 ECHICKAMAUGA 159 l/4 5018 505 18,195 21,836 Lt Lg 42° g' 3.8 71° 5 442 STRE 65 3.

3 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered APR 2 3 1973 Name Wistariahurst Roxbury High Fort 8ltot (John) Square Distriet The Wayalde Inn Iliatorie Distriet Location Holyoke Haspden County Boston (Roxbury Distriet) Suffolk County Boston (Robury District) Suffolk County Sudbury Niddlesex County Also Notified Hon. Edward ion: Edvard M: Kennedy 1. Brooke Hon. Silvio 0, Conte lion. John Hoakley Hon, RobertDrinan Director, Northeast Region PHR Hon. Jobn P. X. Davoren Secretary of the Connonwealth Chaimman, Massachusetts Iistorieal Connisaton 40 Beacon Street Boston, Measachusetts 02108 NRowland: pcl 5/7/73 M. - FROM: HAROLD F. O'NEIL AEA - AFA - AFRes - AL - ARMA - HNS - ROA - SPA - U.S.CDC TO: 37 FRANKLIN STREET BELMONT, MA 02178 TELEPHONE: (617) 484-6553 Boston FTS: 617-223-6475 loffice of Archeology and Historic Preserv.

National Park Service, US Dept of Interior Washington, DC 20240 DATE: 20 Nov 73 FILE NO.: MIL SUBJECT: Material for my book on citizen soldiers. YOUR REF: The National Register of Historic Places, 1972 (as of 6/71). -FOLD HERE- According to an announcement by the Roxbury (Boston) Historical Society, the ROXBURY HIGH FORI among other sites, has recently been included øn the National Register of Historic Sites. So, I promptly went to the Boston GPO here in my JFK Bldg and bought your above cited handbook... but when I got home, noticed it had a cutoff of June 1971.... When you get the time, kindly send me a story about the Roxbury High Fort...I wish to include it in my chapter on forts and campsites. If need, be you can reach me on the above cited FTS phone. Thanks by- H2 12? DEC 13 1973 H34-PR mass. Mr. Herold F. 0"Ne11 37 Frenklin Street Belmont, Massechusetts 02178 Dear Nr.

0"Hell: Thankyou for your recent letter concering the nomtnetion of/Roxbury High Fort) to the iletionel Begister of Historle Places. We are pleased to advise you that Roxbury High Jort was nominated by the Kentucky State Historic Preservation Ofticer and entered in the Natione1 Register Apr11 23, 1973. We are enclosing s brochure which deseribes the lietional Register progrem and a copy of the nomination fora on the property, which may be of assistance to you in preparing your chapter on forts and campsites. Thanl you for your interest in the historie preservation prograns of the Hationel Park Service. Sincerely yours, Charles A. Herrington Chiet, Branch of Registration lationalRegister Enclosures Cc: Hon. John F. X. Davoren, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Chairman, Massachusetts Historical Commission, 40 Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108w/cy inc.

Director, Northeast Region w/cy inc. PRw/cy inc. SSHul1:ntw 12/6/73 BASIC FILES RETAINED IN PR