Nomination for Park Street Railroad Station

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) PH0121622 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEOAPR 07 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM APR 8.1.

1976 2 3 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC Park Street Railroad Station AND/OR COMMON Park Street Station - Boston & Maine Railroad LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 20 Magoun Avenue CITY, TOWN Medford _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT STATE Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY _DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) STRUCTURE SITE OBJECT OWNERSHIP XPUBLIC PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION IN PROCESS -BEING CONSIDERED - VICINITY OF CODE 025 STATUS XOCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED _WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO COUNTY Middlesex CODE 017 PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL _PARK _EDUCATIONAL PRIVATE RESIDENCE ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION MILITARY ZOTHER: social ciubhoase OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME City of Medford STREET & NUMBER Medford City Hall CITY, TOWN Medford VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION STATE Massachusetts 02155 COURTHOUSE.

REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC. Middlesex County Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER Cambridge Street CITY, TOWN STATE Massachusetts Cambridge REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1974 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY.TOWN _FEDERALYSTATE COUNTY _LOCAL Massachusetts Historical Commission 40 Beacon Street, Boston STATE Massachusetts 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION LEXCELLENT XGOOD -FAIR DETERIORATED _RUINS CHECK ONE _UNALTERED XALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE _UNEXPOSED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Park Street Railroad Station, built from 1893 to 1894, is a rectangular one story brick building topped by a hip roof, with a porte-cochere and a wing on its southwest corner. The building is located in East Medford on the northeast corner of Magoun Avenue and Thatcher Road along the site of the Medford Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad. Built on a 12,420 square foot lot, the depot is presently enclosedby a chain-link fence. Although the drive up to the porte- cochere has been removed and relandscaped, the property retains its original brick walkways on each side of Thatcher Road and its fine cut granite retaining walls, platforms and steps along both sides of the railroad right-of-way. Designed by Clarence B. Cutler in 1893, the Park Street Railroad Station is eclectic in style. Built on an exposed rock-faced granite foundation, the entire station is of red brick.

A low granite string course about three feet from the ground and light granite quoins, window sills, and support blocks for the roof's curved wooden brackets, accent the dark walls. The station has four identical entranceways, each surrounded with wood panelling and leaded glass, which are situated in pairs on the north and south elevations. Flanking the north facade, and east elevations, are pairs of large vertically divided plate glass windows with leaded glass top lights. All the doorways and windows are boarded up at present. Under the porte-cochere, supported by curved timbers supports, is an arched brick passageway to the platformarea. The wing was formerly used for baggage storage and contained doorways at each end and small rectangular windows along the west elevation.

Iwo similar windows are located between the doorway on the facade and three others are on the east elevation between the larger windows. The hip roof extends over the walls and is supported by curved wooden brackets along the facade and wing. The rear platform is covered by an extension of the roofwhichis supported by four decoratively bracketed wooden posts. A simple iron pipe railing encloses the granite platform and steps leading down to the railroad tracks. The original slate roof with dopper flashing, cornice and ridge poles was replaced in 1968 by an asphalt shingle covering. same time, a three sided dormer on the south elevation was removed, breaking the original visual continuity between it and the three-sided bay window with leaded glass top lights below the roof. On the north elevation a rectangular brick chimney rises through a centrally placed ridge roofed dormer.

The tri- angular dormer, presently boarded up, once displayed a large semi-circular window with "H" shaped sash. Although the building retains much of its orig- inal visual character, the facade has unfortunately been painted brown and beige. The original oak waiting room has been covered by modern paneling and has a new ceiling, but the original walls and ceiling are extant under the modern alterations.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD PREHISTORIC _1400-1499 -1500-1599 _1600-1699 1700-1799 X 1800-1899 -1900- ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE *ARCHITECTURE ART, -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 X-TRANSPORTATION OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1893-1894 BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Park Street Railroad Station in East Medford was among the most architect- urally distinguished and progressively designed train depots contructed by the Boston and Maine Railroad. The enduringly fine quality of this building's masonry and its survival as Medford's last depot enhance its local architectual and historical significance. The Park Street Railroad Station and its demol- ished predecessor which stood across the tracks also stimulated Medford's residential development within the area bounded by Park, Salem and Spring Streets and Riverside Avenue which in turn increased the city's popularity as a commuter suburb of Boston. The "Medford Branch" was incorporated on March 7, 1845 by a group of "substant- ial" citizens including James O. Curtis, Henry L. Stearns, Joseph Manning,Jr., Daniel Lawrence, Nathaniel H. Bishop and Andrew Blanchard.

However, the line was actually built and managed by the Boston and Maine Railroad. The Park Street Railroad Station was part of a $150,000.00 expenditure when the Medford Branch was doubled in the late 1890's to provide more efficient transportation service. The depot was built in 1893 and 1894 when General Samuel C. Lawrence, a vice president of the Boston and Maine Railroad, was serving as the city's first mayor.iIt is thought that Lawrence's candidacy was partially based on promises that the railroad would build updated stations at Park Street and in West Medford. After its construction Lawrence's pride in the well-appointed new building prompted him to send the gardeners from his Rural Avenue estate to attend to the station's grounds.

toilet and heating facilities and a particularly comfortable waiting room for commuters who could take the train at twenty-one different times each day. The comparatively low rates of electric cars and the increasing popularity of automobiles in the early twentieth century resulted in the closing of the Medford Branch in 1934.

Local interest in preserving the station was immediate and on December 11, 1934, the following was printed in the Medford Mercury: With the knowledge that the station which was once the pride of the neighborhood is to be torn down; upon whose platform many Medford citizens who were associated with activities in politics, civic and fraternal affairs, gathered each morning to take the 8:15 train to Boston; where ideas were exchanged which resulted in the formulation of plans that benefited the city; where a neighborliness was fostered which is now unknown, action is now to be taken by the residents of the vicinity to see if the building cannot be saved and be used for some purpose which will serve the community.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES 1. Medford Courier, "Petition For Abandonment of Park Street Railroad Station", October 1, 1943. 2. Medford Courier, "Park Street StationiProperty Given City by Boston and Maine", 3. October 1, 1942 Medford Historical Register, "Medford Branch Railroad", Volume , April,July,1917.

10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY = acre UTM REFERENCES ZONE B12,713,0,0 EASTING 1442790,0 NORTHING C Lil,Lu VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION BLrJ ZONE DLI EASTN NORTHING LuLiL LileLu LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE 11 FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE Christine Boulding, Assistant Survey Director and John Herzan ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 40 Beacon Street CITY OR TOWN Boston, DATE March 1975 TELEPHONE 617-727-8470 STATE Massachusetts 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL _ STATE_ LOCAL 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.

SNPO EEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE Cenbert R. Amadon TITLE Mass. State Historic Preservation Officer DATE March 25, 1975 FOR NPS USE ONLY ATTEST: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OA. OFFICE OF ARSHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION KEEPER AELLATONAL REGISTER DATE DATE 431/75 4-17.25 Form No. 10-300a (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEMPR 07 1975 DATE ENTERED 2 1 1975 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 2 Although the station was not demolished as had been feared by the local residents, the Boston and Maine Railroad did abandon it for more than ten years, only presenting it to the city in 1942 after considerable vandalism.

Recently, a neighborhood social club known as the Redskins has leased the property and is attempting to restore and improve the building. Propert Park Street Raiload Station StateMass, Working Number 4,7, 75,616 TECHNICAL Photos - 2 Maps Middleser CONTROL pe 49,75 HISTORIAN Blends in vey well wy residential ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN neighborhood- ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory gBA 4/10 Review Aceept Eul REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Cole 4.1. BRANCH CHIEF Hur 4.18.75 KEEPER muttaph 4.12.25 Entered APR2 1 1975 INT:2106- 74 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 6-3-75 Send-back Re-submit United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 Form No. 10-301 (Rev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED APR 07 1975 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES - ENCLOSE WITH MAP 1 2 3 4 NAME HISTORIC Park Street Railroad Station AND/OR COMMON Park Street Station - Boston & Maine Railroad LOCATION CITY. TOWN Medford -VICINITY OF MAP REFERENCE SOURCE U.S.G.S., Boston, North, Mass. quadrangle SCALE 1:24,000 DATE 1971 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES COUNTY Middlesex STATE MA INT: 2986-75 Form No. 10-301a (Pev.

10-7 +) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEDAPR 07 1975 APR 21 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH NAME HISTORIC Park Street Railroad Station AND/OR COMMON Park Street Station - Boston & Maine Railroad LOCATION CITY. TOWN Medford _VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Brian Pfeiffer NEGATIVE FILED AT Medford Historical Commission IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET south elevation #1z2 COUNTY Middlesex STATE DATE OF PHOTO 1975 PHOTO NO #l02 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTE Form No. 10-301a (Pev.

10-7+) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEDAPR 07 1975 DATE ENTERED APR 2 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 1 NAME HISTORIC Park Street Railroad Station AND/OR COMMON Park Street Station - Boston & Maine Raroad LOCATION CITY, TOWN Medford VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Brian Pfeiffer NEGATIVE FILED AT Medford Historical Commission IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC.

IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET north elevation #202 COUNTY Middlesex DATE OF PHOTO STATE 1975 PHOTO NO PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGIST #292 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered APR 21 1073 Name Location Brooks, Shepherd, Estate H111side Avenue Iiistorie District Park Street Railroad Station Carney, Sergeant W1ll1am He, Eome Provincetown Publie Library Wade, Jonathan, House Medford Middlesez County Medford Middlesex County Medford Middlesex County New Medford Bristol County Provincetow Barustable County Medford Middleses County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Edward W. Brooke Bon. Torbert H. HacDonald Hon. Gerry E. Studds Reglonal Director, North Atlantic Region Mr. Robert F. Crecco, DOT PR MMott/row 4/23/75 State Historie Preservation Officer Mre. Elizabeth R.

Anadon Executiva Director Nassachusetts Historical Connission 40 Beacon Street Boston, Maseachusetts 02108 NATIONAL REGISTER DATA SHEET ONAME as it appears on federal registe - county code: Park Street Railroad Station 4-21-75 017 ©LOCATION street & number 20 Magoun Ave. gity/ town vieinity of state county 6NPS REGION: Medford MA LMiddlesex Northatlantic OWNER CPRIVATE CSTARMUNICIPAL COUNTY OMULTIPLEOFEDERAL(agency name) BADMINISTRATOR: 9 EXISTINGSURVEYS HABS [HAER [NHL(10FUNDED? CYES XNO 11)CONGRESS. DISTRICT 7th 12 SOURCE of NOMINATION XI STATE -FEDERAL ATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC BISTRIET IATIRKAL HISTORIE LANOMARN SHB6 'Stafted form?

DIES IHAES KH0 less than - 25 -LOCAL -PRIVATE ORGANIZATION 1CONDITION Dexcellent O deteriorated xxxXered Ooriginal site 17) features: @OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 *SUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-2 O SUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-3 Oruins *good Dunexposed Ounaltered Omoved -ONOT INTACT-O 20 NOT INTACT-O *NOT INTACT - O -reconstructed Ounknown Dfair Ounexcavated Dexcavated -UNKNOWN-4 WDUNKNOWN-5 5O UNKNOWN -6 20 NOT APPLICABLE-7 MONOT APPLICABLE-8 ZO NOT APPLICABLE - 9 18ACCESS &YÉS-Restricted DYES -Unrestricted - No Access - Unknown (19) ADAPTIVE USE XYES UNO SAVED?

XYES IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT?DyeXno E1 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : DENGINEERING-11 DLANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 - POLITICS/ GOVT.- 21 -RECREATION -28 CLAIMS: explain CARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric-2 -COMMERCE-6 -ENTERTAINMENT-26 - LAW-16 "first' O -RELIGION-22 *SETTLEMENT-29 -ARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS -1 -EXPLORATION -12 - LITERATURE - 17 - SCIENCE- 23 -URBAN PLANNING-31 'oldest'O - AGRICULTURE-3 - CONSERVATION - 8 CHEALTH-27 C MILITARY- 18 - SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN-24OTHER (SPECIFY) - ARCHITECTURE-4 - ECONOMICS-9 - INDUSTRY- 13 - MUSIC - 19 - SOCIAL / CULTURAL-30 -ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 C INVENTION - 14 - PHILOSOPHY -20 X TRANSPORTATION -25 18 'only' D 23) functions dates of initial construction: WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: RR station major alterations : 1893-94 ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION CURRENTLY: Club b1dg.

historic events: architectural style(s): architect: master builder: engineer: Vernacular landscape architeet / garden designer: S interior decorator: artist: ,artisan: builder/contractor: NAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: NATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP Brick, 1 story, rectangular; hipped roof with gabled dormer and * broad overhanging sheltering the platforms eaves/supported by brackets and posts;xke central chimney, front off-center entrance, front 3-sided bay window, portecochere, SW baggage wing, granite aceents; Vernacular. BX Built as part of expansion of Medford branch of sp. the Boston and Maine RR; stimulated s area's residential development; abandoned by 1934; now serves as a local clubhouse. reviewers initials ST_date. 9/6/78 TIF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSE