Nomination for St. Stephen's Church

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) 140100170 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEO MAR 31 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED APR- 1.4.1974 1 4 6 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC New North Church AND/OR COMMON St. Stephen's Church (preferred) LOCATION STREET & NUMBER Hanover Street CITY.

TOWN Boston STATE - VICINITY OF CODE 25 NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 9th COUNTY Suffolk CODE 025 Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY DISTRICT XBUILDING(S5 LSTRUCTURE SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP PUBLIC XPRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION -IN PROCESS BEING CONSIÓERED STATUS _OCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED - WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED -YES: UNRESTRICTED PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM COMMERCIAL _PARK LEDUCATIONAL *PRIVATE RESIDENCE .ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION MILITARY _OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Roman, Catholic Archdiocese of Boston STREET & NUMBER 2121 Commonwealth Avenue CITY. TOWN Boston VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION MA02135 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC.

STREET & NUMBER Suffolk County Courthouse Pemberton Square CITY, TOWN STATE MA 02201 Boston REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE February, 1975 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY, TOWN _FEDERAL SSTATE _COUNTY _LOCAL Massachusetts Historical Commission Boston MA02108 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION _EXCELLENT _GOOD FAIR DETERIORATED RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE _UNALTERED X ALTERED CHECK ONE ORIGINAL SITE X MOVED DATE 1870 DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

St. Stephen's Church is located in Boston's North End on Hanover St. between Clark and Harris Streets. Designed in 1804 for the New North Congregational Society (as dis- tinguished from the "Old North" in North Square and burned by the British) by Charles Bulfinch, the church represents Bulfinch's personal restrained, neo-classical style which influenced Boston's and the nation's entire Federal architectural era. «ovem The church reflects the traditiona New cnaland Meeting House plan in brick but wit some Bulfinch modifications. The tower element projects but is a full three bays wide be- low the belfry, thus offering the designer surface for his carefully proportioned and bal- anced articulation. The projecting tower porch has a symmetrical elevation divided at the nave's cornice level by a continuous blind balustrade across the entire facade.

Paired brownstone pilasters with Ionic capitols that support a discontinuous entablature, flank the central trabeated wooden entrance under the large second story Palladian window. On the street level between the paired pilasters are additional round headed entry ways. In the tower attic or third story above the balustrade and below an ornate cornice, a recess- ed arch holding a lunette fills the entire central bay; the pilaster motifs are continued on the attic,but here with composed capitals. Above the cornice are pairs of decorative- ly carved consoles and urns. The tower continues in a square block which supports the open wooden belfry with aedicular motifs and small domed cupola.

On the nave facade, the side aisle windows are square-headed with flared brownstone tels with keystones on the ground floor and rounded-headed with keystones on the gallary lin- level; they are set within two story recessed arches. The nave side walls repeat this fen- estration pattern without the recessed arches. Brick consoles on the nave facade above the balustrade conceal the slant of the nave's pitched slate roof, while they visually unite the nave and tower. On the interior, the open nave is covered by a shallow unornamented arch springing from a continuous modillion cornice. The main feature is the gallery supported by a ground floor Doric arcade and its upper Corinthian arcade supporting the ceiling. The long side galleries curve in at the entry wall corners. Access to the gallery is via the vestibule stair. Alterations to the church have been numerous.

In 1862, in the conversion to a Catholic church, the cupola was enclosed, and the altar end of the nave transformed besides other interior changes. Due to the widening of Hanover Street in 1870, the structure was moved back about 16 feet (to where it now stands), a porch added, and either then or a few years later was raised 6 feet to incorporate a lower chapel. Fires in 1897 and 1929 did ex- tensive damage to the interior. The present appearance dates from 1964-65, when complete restoration was completed. Although the exterior work followed Bulfinch's plans, some interior modifications were made to his designs during the reconstruction.

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- AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC COMMUNITY PLANNING _LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC -CONSERVATION _LAW AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS - LITERATURE X ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION -MILITARY ART -ENGINEERING MUSIC _COMMERCE _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT PHILOSOPHY _COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY POLITICS/GOVERNMENT INVENTION XRELIGION -SCIENCE SCULPTURE -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER -TRANSPORTATION XOTHER (SPECIFY) urban design SPECIFIC DATES 1804 BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT Charles Bulfinch STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE St. Stephen's Church is Boston's onty remaining church, designed by Charles Bulfinch (in 1804) and, as his third church commission in the city, reflects one of the high points of his personal style. The church is also significant as a reflection of changes in the religio-ethic character of its immediate neighborhood. Finally, the church became one part of an urban design scheme when the commemorative Paul Revere Mall was created in 1926. Bulfinch's earlier churches outside of Boston (Pittsfield, Taunton) show a rather free interpretation of the tower element on the traditional meeting house format.

The Cathedral of the Holy Cross, 1799-1803, the architect's second Boston church commission, introduces elements of the Italian Renaissance tradition - a flat front with lower and attic stories connected by consoles - into his personal style. For St. Stephen's, Bulfinch manipulated the tripartite elements of Holy Cross in a simpler manner on the facade of the St. Stephen's tower, which unlike the Catholic Holy Cross, still projected from the nave according to the Congregational parish tradition. His later churches in Boston, Federal St. and New South (both demolished), fortell the coming vogue of Gothic and Greek Revivals, respectively. St. Stephen's is the third church building to occupy its site. The Middle Street Meet- ing House of1714 lasteduntil 1730 when the New North Congregational Society rebuilt it.

In the 1804 Bulfinch structure, some of the old timber from the 1730 ediface was reused. By 1813 the church had become the home of a Unitarian congregation and had Francis Parkman, father of the historian, as its minister until his retirement in 1849. Only thirteen years later in 1862, the building was sold to the Archdiocese of Boston and renamed St. Stephen's. This change of denomination reflects the changes to the ethnic character of the surrounding Cathot fc iodi grants i9 vere replaaed dust a had beetum otothe centupo batedoearian community that has remained. The 1965 restoration sponsored by Richard Cardinal Cushing of the Boston Archdiocese was a tribute to the church's Protestant and Catholic heritage. Ln 1926, across hanover street, a paved and landscaped mall, roughly oblong in shape, was created by the City to commemorate Paul Revere. St. Stephen's forms the terminus of end.

The brick enclosing side walls of the Mall, which is open at the ends, visually connect the two churches and form a small pleasant urban park. 1. 2. 3. 4.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Bulfinch, Charles. Plans & Drawings Howe, M. A. DeWolfe. Boston Landmarks. New York, 1946. Kirker, Harold. The Architecture of Charles Bulfinch. Cambridge, MA.:Harvard University Press, 1969. C. A. Charles Bulfinch, Architect and Citizen. New York: 1925. Whitehill, W. M. Boston: A Topographical History.

Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press, 1968 O GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY less than one acre CD UTM REFERENCES A1,9] 1313,019,6 g ZONE EASTING 14,619.212,0,0 NORTHING BL,J ZONE VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION EASTING+ NORTHING VORTHING LyLiliLu CICral 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 by ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 40 Beacon St CITY OR TOWN Boston Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and Boston Landmarks Commission DATE February, 1975 TELEPHONE 617-727-8470 STATE MA 02108 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: X 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 Natjonal Register and certify it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service.

FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE Wi abuch R. Amadon TITLE Mass. State Historic Preservation Officer FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY-S INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER amarlee DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF ARCHEOLOGY ATTEST: DATE 3/24/75 DATE DATE 4/14/75 APR 9 1975 KEEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER Property Rew Rorth Chuuch ST. STEOHEN'S stateMass: Working Number 3.31, 75, 498 CHVRcH TECHNICAL cketch Photos _ / Fijuaer in mepwxing Fom is okar Maps Suffolk CONTROL OK -3.31.75 HISTORIAN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN common ratter tean lstone name ACCEPT prepened becsuse it is an imprrtant Chuel v North End bnown as St. Stephenis by Bostoiens LEBOVLCH 4-1-70 and toith Enders.

ARCHEOLOGISI OTHER ACCEPT Husanll 4/1/75 HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Accem Colz 4.8:75 BRANCH CHIEF Aurg KEEFER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 6-3-75 Send-back Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 APK 9 7975 APR 14 INT:2106-74 Form No. 10-301a (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED MAR 3 1 1975 DATE ENTERED APR 14 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIESENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH NAME HISTORIC New North Church AND/OR COMMON St. Stephen's Church (preferred) LOCATION CITY, TOWN Boston _VICINITY OF COUNTY Suffolk STATE PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTOCREDIT Atlantic Photo Service, Inc.

DATE OF PHOTO 1966 NEGATIVE FILED AT Archdiocese of Boston IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET PHOTO N View of St. Stephen's Church looking at Hancock St. facade #/061 and Harris St. side, southeasterly. PROPERTY OF THE NATONAL GEGISTER #/o81 Form No. 10-301 (Rev. 10-74) UNÍTED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED MAR 8 1 1975 A. -4 3/S DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP 1 NAME HISTORIC AND/OR COMMON New North Church St. Stephen's Church (preferred) 2 3 4 LOCATION CITY. TOWN Boston VICINITY OF COUNTY Suffolk STATE MA MAP REFERENCE SOURCE Boston Redevelopment Authority - Photogrametric Series SCALE 1:100 DATE 1965 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1.

PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES FOUNTATN OLD TORTH HURCH OLD BORTUSE CTNI 62 STREET COUR STREET JRTH VNET JSTRIAL HOOL S ENNE ER FIRE STATION STREE WIGGIN NORTH BENNET ST. GYM. CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL POECAR STREET MONASTÉRY PEAYGROUN ST. LEONARD: BENNET CHURCH STREET HANOVER 1ARRIS ST. STEPHENS CHURCH CLARK BATTERY TON HANOVER STREE STREET AVE BETHEL CHRISTIAN CENTER STREET FLEET COURT POWER STATION STREET SEAME N. S HOUSE 60 NORTH SQUARE GARDEN STREET ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH (New North Church) HANOVER STREET BOSTON, MA SCALE : 1"=100' UTM: 19/330960/4692200 Regional Director, North Atlantic Region 4/15/75 Mott PR ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE HASSACHUSETTS Date Entered RPR 1 4 1975 Name old Ship Street Historic Distriet Fort Sevall First Baptist Church, Canbridge St.

Stephen's Church Fovle-Reed Wyman Hlouse Salem Cross Inn Location Medford Hiddlesex County Marblehead Essex County Cambridge Middlesex County Boston Suffolk County Arlington . Miädlesex County West: Brookfield vicinity Worcester County Also Notified lion. Edward M . Kennedy Bon. Edward W. Brooke Hon. Zorbert H. MacDonald lon. Michael J. Harrington Hon, Ihomas P. O'tell1, Jr. Hon, Jolin J. Moakley lon. Edwaxd P. Boland State Historic Preservation Officoz Mrg. Elizabath R. Amadon Executive Director Massachusetts Histozical Conmission 40 Deacon Street Doston, Massachucetts 02108 NA ONAL ( REGISTER DATA SHE dera )OTHER NAMES: Stephen's Church andl Harris St, St. betwveen Clark / Boston Oco E FEDERAL (agency name) FUNDED? DYES 1CONGRESS. DISTRICT vicinity of Suffolle county 24-14-75 N.

Atlantic 025 ADMINIST SOURCE of NOMINA XTATE Chnistine lessthanl OLOCA e Boulding ATE ORGANIZA CONDITION - deteriorated Xaltered Xexcellent Oruins Ogood Ounexposed Dunaltered Ofair Dreconstructed Ounexcavated Oexcavated CEESS (ES- Restricted DYES - Unrestricted - No Access REAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : CENGINEERING -11 CARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric -2 -COMMERCE-6 -ENTERTAINMENT-26 - ARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS -7 CEXPLORATION -12 - AGRICULTURE -3 - CONSERVATION - 8 - HEALTH-27 XARCHITECTURE-4 - ECONOMICS- 9 C INDUSTRY - 13 - ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 - INVENTION - 14 3functions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: CHURCH CURRENTLY: CHURCH aarchitectural style(s): Federal landscape architect / garden designer: interior decorator: Ooriginal site Xmoved 1870 Ounknown 12 features: XSUBSTANTIALLY.

INTACT-1 *XSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT -2 2XSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT- 3 9ONOT INTACT-O 9O NOT#TACT-O &ONOT INTACT - O WCUNKNOWN-4 WOUNKNÖWN-5 Z0 NOT APPLICABLE-7 EO NOT APPLICABLE-8 5OUNKNOWN-6 ZO NOT APPLICABLE - 9 - Unknown - LANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 - LAW - 16 - LITERATURE - 17 C MILITARY - 18 - MUSIC - 19 - PHILOSOPHY - 20 19 ADAPTIVE USE DYES SAVED? DYES IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT?

Oye: - POLITICS/ GOVT." 21 -RECREATION -28 OCLAIMS: explair 'first'C XRELIGION-22 SETTLEMENT-29 - SCIENCE - 23 -URBAN PLANNING-31 'oldest' O - SOCIAL /HUMANITARIAN -24 DOTHER (SPECIFY) - SOCIAL / CULTURAL- 30 - TRANSPORTATION - 25 @dates of initial construction: 1804 major alterations: Mestored, 1964-65 histeric events: Garchi Charles Bulfinch @master builder: 'only' & Bulfinch-designed clurch remaming in Boston ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION dil, sttalia engineer: - artist: artisan: )builder /contractor: no NAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: Arcindocese of Boston under leadenship 6) Richard Cardinal Cushing sponsored 1964-65 resteration *NATIO: L REGISTER WRITE-UP *'stories, modified rectangle, gabled roof, oxtorior and and intonion ohhmey?, 3-story & front center pavillion with squareybell tower and domed cupolag front center trabeated entrance below lunette and palladian windows within a 3-story recessed arch, flanking round-arched side entrances articulated by lonic pilasters supporting discontinuous entablaturos, \bl ind balustrade and denticulated modillion cornicg aczosß front facado above Zndmatony, otory naves moved, 1870g restored, 196465.

Federal. Cityts onty remaining Bulfinch-designed church} succesaioe ownership by Congregational, Unitarian, and Catholic congregations reflects the changés in the-religio-ethnic character iniiaf. the North End during the 19th |IF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED. NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSE