Nomination for Holyoke City Hall

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev.

10-74) PH0247111 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY OCT 2 0 1975 RECEIVED NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED 6 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 1 NAME HISTORIC Holyoke City Hall 2 AND/OR COMMON Holyoke City Hall LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 536 Dwight Street CITY, TOWN Holyoke STATE - VICINITY OF CODE 025 _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1st COUNTY Hampden CODE 013 3 Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY _DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) -STRUCTURE _SITE -OBJECT OWNERSHIP X PUBLIC _PRIVATE BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION _IN PROCESS BEING CONSIDERED STATUS *_OCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE _MUSEUM COMMERCIAL -PARK EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS X GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC -INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION -MILITARY -OTHER OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME City of Holyoke STREET & NUMBER Holyoke City Hall, 536 Dwight Street CITYTOWN Holyoke - VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC.

Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER STATE Massachusetts 01040 55 Elm Street CITY, TOWN STATE Massachusetts Springfield 6 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1974 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY, TOWN _FEDERAL XSTATE COUNTY _LOCAL Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street, Boston STATE Massachusetts : 02108 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION EXCELLENT * GOOD -FAIR _DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE X_UNALTERED ALTERED CHECK ONE X_ORIGINAL SITE -MOVED DATE. DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Holyoke City Hall is situated in the heart of the city of Holyoke at the southeast corner of High and Dwight Streets. The building was designed in 1871 by C. B. Atwood of Boston and was completed in 1875 with Henry F. Kilburn of New York acting as architect for the last two years of the project. The Holyoke City Hall is in a free form Gothic style, incorporating such typical elements as spires, turrets, pointed arches, buttresses, ribbed vaulting, and stained glass. The length of the building on High Street is 190 feet and the width on Dwight Street is 114 feet. The foundation walls are four feet thick and are made of quarried stone. The exterior of the City Hall is quarry faced Monson granite laid in irregular courses. The roof is covered with dark slate interrupted by bands of red and green slate, and surmounted by iron cresting and finials.

The principal entrance on Dwight Street is by way of 18 broad granite steps which lead to a large porch, 14 by 32 feet, finished with deep moulded arches, polished Aberdeen granite columns, richly carved capitals and an elaborate timber ceiling. Six more steps approach three double doorways, each six feet wide, which open into a vestibule with a slate floor. Rising above the central entranceway on Dwight Street is a tower, 28 feet square at the base, which reaches a height of 225 feet above the sidewalk. At each corner of the tower are circular turrets which terminate in conical roofs of galvanized iron. The tower contains a belfry and clocks on each elevation. The plan of the Holyoke City Hall is that of a rectangle with two transeptional wings crossing it at either end.

The interior of the building is marked by its handsome wainscotting and mouldings and by its rich use of black walnut, oak, white ash, marble and slate. One of the most noteworthy interior features is the great hall of the second story which measures 113 feet long by 75 feet wide by 42 feet high. The roof of this hall is carried by two large longitudinal lattice trusses, 94 feet by 15 feet, finished with heavy moulded transverse braces and terminating on richly carved corbels. The hall also contains ten windows, 15 feet high by 5½ feet wide, filled with richly colored stained glass illustrating scenes of Commerce, Music, Painting, Agriculture, Water Power and Manufactures, and Mechanic Arts. The building as a whole remains virtually unaltered, and its towering spire continues to be a landmark in the City of Holyoke.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 X1800-1899 _1900- ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE XARCHITECTURE XART _COMMERCE _COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW _COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE -CONSERVATION LAW _ECONOMICS LITERATURE EDUCATION _MILITARY _ENGINEERING -MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY _INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION -RELIGION -SCIENCE SCULPTURE SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER -TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1871-75 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT C. B. Atwood The Holyoke City Hall is significant as the work of architects C. B. Atwood and Henry F. Kilburn and as a landmark in the City of Holyoke which has re- mained in continuous use and virtually unchanged since its construction in the late 19th century. Upon its completion in 1875, the Holyoke City Hall was said to be the finest public building in Massachusetts west of Boston. Plans for the building began in 1871 when a building committee was appointed and funds appropriated for the construction of a city hall. In May 1871 a competition was held in which architects Kilburn, Hathorn, Atwood, Hunt, Potter and Parker were invited to present plans and designs. In August 1871 the building committee formally accepted the design of C..B. Atwood for the new City Hall.

Although his initial plans were used for the building, Atwood failed to furnish all the necessary drawings, and so, in October 1874, Henry F. Kilburn of New York was contracted to provide drawings for the project. Kilburn's work began when the walls of the ! building were up and most of the roof on. His drawings were for the tower and for the interior finish, including the roof of the large second floor hall. The total cost of the land and building, including furniture, was approximately $ 372,000. The great hall on the second floor remains one of the most outstanding features of Holyoke City Hall. At the time of its construction, this hall was said to be one of the finest and most expensive in the country. It is capable of seating 1300 people, with an additional 150 in the gallery, and has been the scene of a variety of political and cultural events in the city.

The stained glass windows in the hall were also said to be among the most handsome in the state. They were from the Ecclesiastical Stained Glass Works of Samuel West of Boston. Following the completion of the Holyoke City Hall, the city's business district grew up around the impressive public building. Today the building continues to stand as the visual focal point of the downtown area. The imposing City Hall also remains in use and in appearance just as it was in the late 19th century.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Holyoke Transcript. July 1, 1876. 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY less than an acre UTM REFERENCES AL1a/ 1697/4180 ZONE EASTING L4,67,5/26 0 NORTHING VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION uTm ok-wnd 12-22-78- BL,J ZONE EASTING L1l NORTHING LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE Judy D.

Dobbs, National Register Editor and Mary Griffith, Holyoke Historical ORGANIZATION Commission Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 294 Washington Street CITY OR TOWN Boston October 8, 1975 TELEPHONE 617-727-8470 STATE Massachusetts 02108 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: STATE_S LOCAL X NATIONAL- As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National 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.

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE Elizabich Peud Amadon TItLe Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Conmis- DATE 10/14/75 FOR NPS USE ONLY ¡ HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDLDYY THE NATIONAL REGISTER ATTEST: ess ACHEOLOSY AND HISTOBIC PRESERVATION DATE DATE 12/6/25 11.8805 EEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTE GPO 888-445 State roperey Zalyake cuty atee Mase, 10.20.731844 TECHNICAL Photos_/ Maps +Street Plan limited Bibiograply 75000259 lamoden CONTROL OK pl 10,23,75 HISTORIAN .r-luce 1126/75 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN terrible photo-great ALEPT blag. Hriano ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory _ Review - REVIEW UNIT CHIEF AccEpi Cole 11-26-75 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 3-2-76 Send-back Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 DEC 6 INT: 2106-74 Form No.

10-301a (Pev. 10-7+) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONALPARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED OCT20 1975 DEC 6 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 1 2 3 NAME HISTORIC Holyoke City Hall AND/OR COMMON Holyoke City Hall LOCATION CITY, TOWN HoLyoke _VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Mary Griffith NEGATIVE FILED AT Holyoke Historical Commission City Hall, Holyoke, MA IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET East elevation COUNTY Hampden STATE MA DATE OF PHOTO 1974 PHOTO NO 1 Form No. 10-301 (Rev.

10-74: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONALPARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED OCT 2 0 1975 DATE ENTERED DEC 6 1875 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP 1 NAME HISTORIC Holyoke City Hall AND/OR COMMON 2 1 LOCATION CITY. TOWN Holyoke _VICINITY OF 3 MAP REFERENCE SOURCE USGS, Springfield North Quadrangle SCALE 1:24,000 DATE 1958 4 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES COUNTY Hampden STATE MA INT: 3464- 75 Form No. 10-301 (Rev.

1(T74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED OCT 2 0 1975 DEO 8 IDATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP 2 3 NAME HISTORIC Holyoke City Hall AND/OR COMMON Holyoke Cit LOCATION CITY. TOWN Holyoke Hal1 MAP REFERENCE SOURCE Sketch Map SCALE 1 3/4 " = 100' 4 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3.

UTM REFERENCES VICINITY OF COUNTY Hampden STATE MA DATE 1974 INT: 3464 - 75 department store shoes vacant shoes :curtains - drugs HIGH STREET restaurant real estate vacant HALL COURT HOLYOKE city hall STREET City Hall Annex DW IGHT NEWTON PLACE apartments vacant store auto sales RAILROAD STREET bank department store upholsterer medical supply television municipal parking lot HOLYOKE CITY HALL 100' Holyoke, Massachusetts 10I|17I/159 RECEIVED OCT 2 0 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER Paul Guzzi Pecretarry of the Commonrvealth 7 October 1975 The Commonroealch of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary Massachuselts Histonical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 727-8470 HA THI 19IT RECEIVED OCT 2 0 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER Mr. Charles Herrington, Chief Registration National Register of Historic Places National Park Service U.S.

Department of the Interior 18th and C Streets, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Charles: Enclosed please find three National Register nominations for the following properties: 1. Holyoke, Holyoke City Hall 2. Mattapoisett, Third Meetinghouse 3. Provincetown, Center Methodist Church These properties have been voted eligible for submission by the Massachusetts Historical Commission (the State Review Board) and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer, Elizabeth R. Amadon. Sincerely yours, Pat Patricia L. Weslowski Survey Director Massachusetts Historical Commission PIW/mw Enclosures ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS DEC 6 1975 Date Entered Name Molyoke City Hall Location Holyoke Haupden County Also Notified ion. Edward M. Keooed) lon. Edward lon. Silvio O. Conte Regional Director, North Atlantic Region State Historie Preservation Officer Mra.

Elizabeth &, Anadon Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Comaission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 PR MMOTT: p1 12.12.75 INT: 2950-75 VNR Data Sheet DATE : 3|2377 Reviewer INTALSI GeOft NR vO NAME AS IT APPEARS IN FEDERAL REGISTER: Holyoke City Hall OTHER NANES: LOCATION: STREET & NUMBER 536 Dwight Street - CITY. TOWN STATE Holyoke Massachusetts CONGRESSIUNAL DISTRICT Ist VICINITY OF COUNTY Hampden code 013 . OWNER OF PROPERTY: (Circle) PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV'T MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER ADMINISTRATOR (underline) FEDERAL (AGENCY NAME) : NPS REGION: (CIRCLE) N.ATLANTIC) MID ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST MIDWEST SOUTHVEST ROCKY MOUNTAIN WEST PACIFIC NORTHWEST FEATURES: INTERIC .

Substantially intact- - unknown - 4 - not applicable - 7 CONDITION - _EXCELLENT _GOOD LFAIR /EXTERIOF Substantially intact- ENVIRONS - Substantially intact-3 _unknown.-5 - unknown -6 - not applicable - 8 .Nct applicable-9 -Interior, exterior, environs not intact-0 _DETERIORATED LONALTERED LRAINS _ALTERED _UNEXPOSED -Reconstructed _ORIGINAL SITE _MOVED -Unknown _Unexcavatod -Excavated ACCESS - Yes-restricted historic district? Yes-unrestricted No access Unknown : YES WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT? IF YES, NAME: WITHIN NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK? YES IF YES, NAME: YES (NO NO ADAPTIVE USE: YES Saved ?

YES NO FUNCTION(S): (use vocabulary words) then- cety hall now-city hall SIGNIFICANCE: ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC ARCEOLOHISTORIC -AGRICULTURE LARCHITECTURE- 4 ZART-5 _COMMERCE _COMMUNICATIONS Claims _CONSERVATION _ECONOMICS _EDUCATION _ENGINEERING _EXPLORATION LINDUSTRY _INVENTION _LANOSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _RELIGION _LAW/Gov't/politics SCIENCE _LITERATURE _MILITARY _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -MUSIC _PHILOSOPHY LPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT - 21 -TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) - . _entertainment _health _recreation _sett1ement -socio/cultura urban & commu planning "first"' YES NO "oldest'? YES NO "'only" YES NO ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: GOTHIC REUWAL &) ROMANESQUE architect m.builder: C.3, Atwood and landscape/garden designer: enry F.

Kilburn engineer: REULUAL ELEMENTS artist/artisan: interior decorator: builder/contractor: ETHNIC GROUP: NAMES: (label role & appropriate date) personal events institutional DATES: DANE OE CONSIALCTION (Spe0123o aate or 1/A of century). 1871$25 DATE (S) OF "MAJOR" ALTERATIONS: HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT DATE (S) : SOURCE: (OF NOMINATION) PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV"T MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER FEDERAL 'AGENCY: ACREAGE (to nearest tenth of an aore) lex than / COMMENTS: (nclude architectural inforatton hera) FONSON GRANITE, 2 /½ STORIES PWS ATIC, MODIFIED RECTANELE, GABLED AND HPPEDNROOF SEGTIONGAIig INTERIOR CHIMNEYS; E-STORY ENTRANCE TOWER WInH COENER TOUR- EUES, DORMERS, aND CLOCK FACES, BELOLARORATSAL ROOF; PROJECTING 1-STORY POINTED-ARCHED ENTRANCE PORCH, PROMINENAEELT COURBEI BRACKEVED CORNICE, DORMERS; RDOF CRESTHO ; ORIEINAL INTERIORS.

GOTHI REVIVAL AND ROMANESQUE REUIVAL SIGNIFICANCE:(maximum two sentences) ELEMEMTS. EXMUBERANT EXAMPLE OF THE WORK OF ARCUUTECTS C.B. ATWOOD AND HENRT F. KILBURN.