Nomination for Powder House Park

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev.

10-74) PH0058092 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEO APR 01 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED APR 8 1 1975 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 3 4 5 NAME HISTORIC Nathan Tufts Park ANB/OR COMMON Powder House Park (preferred) LOCATION STREET & NUMBER Powder House Park at Powder House Circle CITY, TOWN Somerville NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 8 STATE _ VICINITY OF CODE 25 COUNTY Middlesex CODE 017 Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY XDISTRICT BUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE _SITE -OBJECT OWNERSHIP XPUBLIC _PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION IN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED STATUS X OCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED _WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED -NO PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL XPARK _EDUCATIONAL PRIVATE RESIDENCE ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION -MILITARY OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME City of Somerville STREET & NUMBER City Hall, Highland Avenue CITY.

TOWN STATE Massachusetts Somerville VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION 02143 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC. Middlesex 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 1968 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY.TOWN _FEDERAL -STATE COUNTY_LOCAL Massachusetts Historical Commission Boston, STATE Massachusetts 02108 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION EXCELLENT _GOOD XFAIR _DETERIORATED RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE _UNALTERED SALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE. DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Nathan Tufts Park in Somerville is located near a busy intersection ef roads leading to Medford, Arlington, Cambridge, änd Boston. To the south, east, and north of the park are early twentieth century houses, to the northwest is an open scar field, and to the west is a row of stores. The park is pleasantly landscaped taking advantage of the natural rocky formation, an old quarry with a variation in elevation of about 100 feet. Benches mark the paved walkways and the park contains elm trees, maples, evergreens, and shrubbery. Iwo small areas have been set aside as tot lots with playground equipment. Iwo structures are contained with- in the park, the Powder House (c. 1704-1720) and the Fieldhouse (1935). The Powder House sits on the edge of the old "Iwo Penny Brook Quarry" and was built of stone quarried there.

The bluestone walls of the cylindrical base are two feet thick, with brick lining the interior. on the northeast side, which was reinforced with cinderblock c. 1900. A higher opening on the southwest was also reinforced. The interior has a modern concrete floor, and a modern beam was added to support the roof. The conical roof is now shingled with composition roofing and a flag flies from a twenty foot pole at the roof's peak. The Fieldhouse, built by the Work Project Administration, is located north- northwest of the Powder House and directly opposite Powder House Circle. The one story ridge roof structure is approximately fifty feet by twenty-two feet and has a small cylindrical tower, six feet in diameter, on the northeast corner. The building is constructed of stone, and the roof is slate on the north facade and composition shingles on the back.

The main entrance to the building is through the tower, which contains a spiral staircase to the basement and a door to the main room. This room is panelled in knotty pine. A fireplace is situated in the southeast wall and a carved panel above it states "1936/This building was erected/ for the use and benefit of/the citizens of Somerville/as a Work Project of/the Federal ReliefAdministration/and the/Work Project Administration/Hon. Leslie E. Knox, Mayor".

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD PREHISTORIC _1400-1499 1500-1599 -1600-1699 X1700-1799 -1800-1899 X1900- ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC X AGRICULTURE X ARCHITECTURE ART _COMMERCE _COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW -COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _CONSERVATION -LAW ECONOMICS - LITERATURE _EDUCATION XMILITARY -ENGINEERING -MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT PHILOSOPHY INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _INVENTION -RELIGION -SCIENCE -SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER -TRANSPORTATION -OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

c.1710, 1774, 1935 BUILDER/ARCHITECT The Nathan Tufts Park derives its primary significance from the Powder House This was built as a mill between 1704 and 1720 and its location at the crossroads among Charlestown, Menotomy, Cambridge and Mystic lent itself to use by farmers for miles around. In 1747, the old mill was sold to the Province of Massachusetts for use as a ana4, hensaae aage le use ed to inta lators naieicane of the Colony's store of powder were taken. The next day people from all the adjoining communities met, bearing arms for the first time, on the Cambridge Common. During the following war years, the powder house was a magazine for the revolutionary forces. In 1822, the mill/powder house returned to private owners as part of property purchased by the Tufts' family, benefactors of neighboring Tufts University.

For several decades, much concern was expressed about the fate of the powder house, but it was not until 1890 that it returned to public ownership. This happened when the heirs of Nathan Tufts deeded the structure and 65,000 square feet of land to the City of Somerville. Conditions included the city buying additional adjoining land and designating all of it as Nathan Tufts Park. Nathan Tufts Park owes its preservation to the Powder House; without the latter, this five acres would probably have been subdivided along with the adjoining area around the turn of the century- The Fieldhouse, much more recently erected (1935) in Powder House Park is significant for different reasons.

First, it is a product of the Work Project Administration and as such bears testimony for a particular era in America's history- Secondly, it was constructed for the use and benefit of the people of Somerville who now have an opportunity to restore it and use it as a mini- museum of Somerville's history.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Bromley, George; Atlas of the City of Somerville; Bromley Co., Philadelphia, 1895.

Drake, Samual Adams; Old Landmarks and Historical Fields of Middlesex; Boston; Roberts Bros.; 1876 Elliot, Charles, Somerville History; Somerville, 1896 Hill, Herbert; Historical Heights and Points of Interest in Somerville; Boston, 1885 Hopkins, G.M.: Atlas of the City of Somerville, Hopkins and Co.; Philadelphia, 1884 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY - about 5 acres UTM REFERENCES AL9] B12,517,6,9 L4 $2011,8,01 EASTING NORTHING VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION *ZONE EASTN NORTHIN NORTHING PLL, LULILILUL 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 Mary Cahill ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 40 Beacon Street CITY OR TOWN March 1975 TELEPHONE 617-727-8470 STATE Boston, 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. FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE Uljabet R. Amodon TITLE Massachusetts State Historic Preservation Officer DATEMa2, 26,1975 OR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DATE BRECTOROFRCYDE ARCHEOLOGYAND HISTORIC PRESERVATION DATE 4(31/75 4.18-15 (EEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTEI 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 RECEIVEDAPR 01 1975 DATE ENTERED APR_211975 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 9 PAGE 1 Records of the Board of Aldermen, Vol. 50, 1934 Samuel, Edward A.

and Kimball, Henry H.; Somerville, Past and Present; Boston, Samuel and Kimball, 1897 POWDER HoUSE Property ofts, Tattan Pank State Massachuett Working 1 Number 4.1.25,593 TECHNICAL Sketch 'map Photos Maps Not a distiet as checked, but Middlesex CONTROL pl OK 4.4,75 HISTORIAN Hecept w.R. 4/8/75 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN INCLUDES 1935 WPA BLDE. ACCEPT PROGABLX MORE WORK DOWE ON LEBOVICH PoWpee HoUse THEN INDIATED. 4-7-75 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory. Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Cole 411.15 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER quuzt 4.18.73 jn iunterh Entered APR 2 1 19/5 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. 10-301a (Pev.

10-7+) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED APR 01 1975 APR 2 1 1975 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH NAME HISTORIC Nathan Tufts Park. AND/OR COMMON Powder House Park LOCATION CITY, TOWN - - _VICINITY OF Somerville PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT J.M. Grant NEGATIVE FILED AT Somerville Historical Commission IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW. DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET #103 Park, looking east COUNTY Middlesex STATE Massachusetts DATE OF PHOTO February 1975 PHOTO NO. 1 NatbanTufts Parts, lookiug east Plsto no.l #183 PROPERTY OF THE NATLONAL REGISTER 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 TRECEIVED APR 01 1975 APR 21 1975 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 1 NAME HISTORIC Nathan Tufts Park AND/OR COMMON Powder House Park LOCATION CITY, TOWN Somerville _VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT J.M. Grant NEGATIVE FILED AT Somerville Historical Commission IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Powder House, north elevation #2g3 COUNTY Middlesex STATE Massachusetts DATE OF PHOTC February 1975 PHOTO NO 2 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER *293 Powder House, Photo no. 2 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 USEONLY RECEIVED APR 01 1975 APR 2 1 1975 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 2 3 NAME HISTORIC Nathan Tufts Park AND/OR COMMON LOCATION Powder House Park CITY, TOWN -VICINITY OF Somerville PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT J.M. Grant NEGATIVE FILED AT Somerville Historical Commission IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW. DIRECTION. ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Field House, north facade #383 COUNTY Midalesex DATE OF PHOTO February 1975 STATE Massachusetts PHOTO NO. 3 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER Field House, north façade Photo no. 3 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 RECEIVED AP DATE ENTEREC SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGIST TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP 3 NAME HISTORIC Nathan Tufts Park AND/OR COMMON LOCATION CITY,TOWN Powder House Park Somerville MAP REFERENCE SOURCE Sketch map SCALE None REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES - VICINITY OF COUNTY Middlesex DATE February 1975 EUVL Pouuder House Civule Powde house Ters. Poudes Vouse Libesty Ave Brodo- 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 C RECEIVEDAP DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTE TYPE ALL ENTRIES - ENCLOSE WITH MAP 1 4 NAME HISTORIC Nathan Tufts Park AND/OR COMMON Powder House Park LOCATION CITY. TOWN Somerville _VICINITY OF MAP REFERENCE SOURCE SCALE United States Geological Survey DATE 1:24000 1971 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3.

UTM REFERENCES COUNTY Middlesex Ma ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Date Entered STATE MASSACHUSETTS MPR 21 1975 Name Ünftarian Universalist Church end Paraonege City Hall listoric District First Baptist Church Powder House Park Hount Auburn Canetery Location Medford Middlesex County Lowe11 Midilesex County New Bedford Bristol County Somerville Middlesex County Cambridgo Middlosex County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy State Ifetorie Freservation Oflices Bon. Edward W. Brooke lira. Llsaabeth H. Anadon Hon, Torbert R. Macuonald Executivo birector Hon. laul E. Teongas Maosactetts Hiatoricel Concilesion Hon. Jerzy 5. Studde 40 Beacon Street Fon. Thonae P. O'lleill, Jr.

Boston, Vsasechusetta 023.08 Regional Director, North-Atlant1c Region PR MMott/bsh 4/22/75 oy NR Data Sheet DATE: Reviewer NR 3/23/77 DOE April 21, 1975 NAME AS IT APPEARS IN FEDERAL REGISTER: Powder House Park OTHER NANES: Nathan Tufts Park -DeC, LOCATION: STREET & NUMBER Rowder House Park at Powder House Circle CITY. TOWN Somerville CONGRESSIUNAL DISTRICT 8th VICINITY OF STATE Massachusetts COUNTY code Middlesex 017. OWNER OF PROPERTY: (circle) PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV'T MUNICIPAD COUNTY OTHER ADMINISTRATOR (underline) NPS REGION: (CIRCLE) FEDERAL (AGENCY NAME) : N.ATLANTIC MID ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST MIDWEST SOUTHWEST ROCKY MOUNTAIN WEST PACIFIC NORTHWEST FEATURES: INTERIOR <Substantially intact-1 - unknown - 4 - not applicable - 7 CONDITION - EXCELLENT GOOD LFAIR /EXTERIOR /ENVIRONS _ Substantially intact-2 .-. Substantially intact-3 _unknown.-S -.

unknown -6 - not applicable - 8 _Not applicable-9 -Interioi, exterior, environs not intact-o _DETERIORATED _UNALTERED _RUINS LALTERED _UNEXPOSED _Reconstructed _ORIGINAL SITE _MOVED _Unkncwn _Unexcavated -Excavated ACCESS - Yes-restricted Yes-unrestricted No access Unknown historic district? YES NO WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT? IF YES, NAME: YES WITHIN NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK? IF YES, NAME: YES NO ADAPTIVE USE: NO Saved ?

YES NO FUNCTION (S): (use vocabulary words) then- as will and powder house now- park SIGNIFICANCE: _ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC LAGRICULTURE -3 LARCHITECTURE ART - + _COMMERCE -COMMUNICATIONS Claims "first" YES _CONSERVATION -ECONOMICS _EDUCATION -ENGINEERING _EXPLORATION INDUSTRY INVENTION NO -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _LAW/Gov't/politics _LITERATURE IMICITARY - 18 _MUSIC _PHILOSOPHY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT "'oldest" YES NO -RELIGION _SCIENCE -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _TRANSPORTATION -_OTHER (SPECIFY) .-entertainment _health -recreation -settlement -socio/cultural _urban & commun planning reonly" YES NO ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: N.A. architect/m.builder: landscapegarden designer: interior decorator: ETHNIC GROUP: NAMES: (label role & appropriate date) per sonal events engineer: artist/artisan: builder/contractor: W.P. A.

(Fieldhouse) institutional J1104-1120 (Pauder pauae), 'R%, Theuse) DATES: pooce DATE OF CONSTRUCTION (Specific date or 1/4 of century): C 1716 *+933 DATE (S) OF "MAJOR" ALTERATIONS: 1774 HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANI DATE (S) : />74- Rev. War - mill convusked to Powdu Honse SOURCE: (OF NOMINATION) PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV"T MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER FEDERAL 'AGENCY: ACREAGE' (to nearest tenth of an acre) 5 COMMENTS: (include architectural information here) Smaul landrcaped park which includes? the coursed blustone cylndricll Powder House (1704-20) with round-arcked openings aud conical caps aud the achlar, 1-story, gubled Freiebense tie (1936) t07 2-stay entranee tewer. "Originally built ao a mulli; the Pauduttonse tusercesated do a magaziné SIGNIFICANCE:(maximum two sentences) duing the Revoleihon aly project War; Fieldmouse as a built classng the W.P.A. for o Someville citrunry.