Nomination for Follen Community Church

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM RECEIVED DATE ENTERED NOV 2 8 1975 APK 3 0 1976 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC The Follen Community Church AND/OR COMMON Same 2 LOCATION 3 4 STREET & NUMBER 755 Massachusetts Avenue CITY.

TOWN Lexington STATE - VICINITY OF CODE 025 Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) STRUCTURE -SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP PUBLIC XPRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION LIN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED STATUS X OCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED _WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED -YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME The Follen Church Society STREET & NUMBER 755 Massachusetts Avenue CITY, TOWN Lexington VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC. STREET & NUMBER South Middlesex Registry of Deeds 208 Cambridge Street CITY.

TOWN NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 5th COUNTY Middlesex CODE 017 PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE MUSEUM COMMERCIAL PARK _EDUCATIONAL PRIVATE RESIDENCE ENTERTAINMENT XRELIGIOUS GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY _OTHER: STATE Massachusetts 02173 Cambridge REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth Historic American Buildings Survey (MASS-590) STATE Massachusetts 02138 DATE 1967 (Mass,); 1930 (HABS) XFEDERAL XSTATE _COUNTYLOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS Massachusetts Historical Commission; Washington, DC CITY,TOWN Boston STATE Massachusetts 02108 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION EXCELLENT _GOOD _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 Follen Community Church faces west onto Massachusetts Avenue (formerly Main Street) in East Lexington. Next to it to the south stands the Stone Building (Cary Memorial Library) and to the north is a parsonage built around 1930. The Follen Community Church was built in 1840/41 according to designs made in 1839 by the minister, Charles Theodore Christian Follen. The building is sheathed in clapboards, and its pointed arched windows display a Gothic influence. It is octag- onal in shape, resting on a heavy granite foundation. As originally designed, the only deviation from the octagon was a front vestibule surmounted by a tall steeple, the spire of which was of lattice construction.

A unique feature of the roof over the sanctuary is the incorporation of a structurally massive ceiling (with eight 14-inch square chestnut rafters) hung from the apex of the eight-sided roof by a single heavy iron rod. The pulpit, still in use, was sit- uated on the floor of the sanctuary to allow Reverend Follen to have his congrega- tion spread half-way around him fan-wise. The original choir loft was set in the back of the church over the vestibule with access from the steeple. In April 1857 thesteeple was damaged by fire after being struck by lightening. The, lattice spire was removed until eight years later when it was rebuilt and sheathed with wooden shingles. At this time a raised chancel was added to the back of the octagon to provide space for the choir in front of the congregation and for the pulpit to be raised to a more prominent position.

A kitchen was added beneath the chancel. In 1914 a village clock was added to the steeple under the following arrangement: The steeple was to be supplied by the church, the clock was to be the property of the "Citizens of the East Village," the clock was to be maintained and wound by the East Lexington Men's Club and was to be lighted by the Town of Lexington. The only major modification to the outside of the church occurred in 1955 when a large, Iow, basement-level addition was built unobtrusively at the rear behind the chancel to provide church school and meeting space. A number of internal changes in the base- ment space directly under the sanctuary have been made from time to time as needs de- mand.

As recently refurbished, it now provides office and church school rooms and a small meeting room appropriately named "the Follen Room" where original portraits of both Charles and Eliza Follen are displayed on the walls. Form No. 10-300a (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM IFOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED max. 22,(976 IDATE ENTERED april 30,1976 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 2 PAGE 1 The Follen Community Church, Lexington, Massachusetts (Middlesex County) Correction: The Follen Community Church is located in the Fourth Congressional District. RECEIVED MAR 2 2 1976 NATIONAL REGISTER 8

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-PREHISTORICCOMMUNITY PLANNING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC -CONSERVATION -LAW AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS -LITERATURE XARCHITECTURE EDUCATION -MILITARY ART LENGINEERING MUSIC _COMMERCE _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT -PHILOSOPHY _COMMUNICATIONS _INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _INVENTION XRELIGION _SCIENCE _SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -THEATER _TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1840-41 BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT Reverend Charles Follen STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Follen Community Chürch is significant as the first permanent home of the Relig- ious Society of East Lexington and as the only octagonal structure in the town. The Religious Society of East Lexington was formed in 1833 and in 1835 began holding its meetings in the Stone Building (Cary Memorial Library) in East Lexington. The pastor of the new religious society was the Reverend Charles Follen who had fled his native Germany because of opposition to his radical political activities. In America he became an ardent abolitionist before such views were acceptable in New England, and as a result he lost his position as professor of German at Harvard College. In order to give full expression to his religious, moral and political opinions, Follen turned to the ministry and preached to the Religious Society in East Lexington which.

was sympathetic to his views. After four years of meeting in the Stone Building, the Society was desirous of building its own church. Follen designed the new church building which was to stand next to the hall (the Stone Building) formerly used by the worshippers, and he led the Society in- conducting a fair to aid in financing the undertaking. The fair was held in August 1839 on Mt. Independence, and the proceeds amounted to about $1200. Ground was broken for the new church on July 4, 1840 and on January 15, 1841 the dedication was held. Dr. Follen was returning from a lecture tour to preside at the ceremonies when he was killed in the explosion of the steamship "Lexington" in Long Island Sound.

Ever since its founding in a town famous for its fight against "the establishment" on pril 19, 1775, the Follen Church Society (as it is now called) has prided itself on llberal social and religious views and considers itself significant as a symbol oi our democratic heritage, It continues to be an active force in Lexington's community life. The tradition of the East Village Fair, conducted each year on the church lawn, has lived on for over 125 years, making it one of the oldest yearly fairs in the area.

The introduction by Follen of the German custom of Christmas to his Cambridge and Lexington neighbors is another event which the church yearly celebrates by selling Christman trees under the rubric of the "Christmas Tree Church." The Follen Church is the oldest church building now standing in Lexington, and together with its neighbor the Stone Building presents an important symbol of the fight of Reverend Follen and other Americans to preserve the freedoms of speech and worship.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Saper , oigeo oaiori cu on eo ne tone teldline , sonacanyge orcoe irnt of the Smith, A. Bradford. Historical Society, Vol. II, Lexington, Mass. Records in the home of Follen Church historian, Dr. Sanborn Brown, 37 Maple Street, Lexington, Mass. 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY_ UTM REFERENCES .347 acres AL1,91 L3|1,84,0,0 HP P 916,4,01 ZONE EASTING NORTHING C LIILL VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION BL, EASTING NORTHING LLILI 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 ORGANIZATION Judy D.

Dobbs, National Register Editor Massachusetts Historical Commission DATE November 24, 1975 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 294 Washington Street 617-727-8470 CITY OR TOWN STATE Boston Massachusetts 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL- STATE_ LOCAL 02108 As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), 1 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 yaluk hed Amadon Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY otatna THISPRO IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Nov, 25,1975 DATE AFFICE OF ARCHEOL ND HISTORIC PRESERVATION ATTEST DATE 4/30/96 4.28.70 KEEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER GPO 888-445 roperty itate Mass. TECHNICAL Photos - Maps The Stone Building and the(Follen Community Church Working Number 6.13. 25. 1084 UTh incruect CONTROL 6.16.15 Agree-need 2 nomination HISTORIAN Retes le.Rluce 6/18/75 ANi ARCHITELTURAL VIEWPOINT, THESE BUILDINGS ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN D BE NOMINATED SEPARATELY WITH BETTER STATEMENTS OF SiGNIFICANCE, RETORN!

TxE ONLY RELATIONSHIPS BERWTEEN THEST BUiLDINES ARE 1) THEY ARE ADÍACENT AND 2) FOLLEN PREACHED HE STENE BUiLDiNG BEFORE THE CHURCH WAS BUILT LEBIVICA 10-18.75 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER proterey The Fallen Commuinty Chureh State mass. Working Number (/, 28, 75,2098 TECHNICAL, Photos Maps Middlesex CONTROL pl OK12,8,75 HISTORIAN AceePte ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN AcCEPT 1/2/16 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Colz 4-27-26 BRANCH CHIEF National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 6-1-76 Send-back Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 KEEPER Hungtoo 42878 APR 30 1976 INT:21 0 74 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER .D0.I NPS Number 4.30.76 Tstle: Follen Communcty Church Middlesex Cty., Mass Loc.

Side vieui: Facing norh Passowase at lft of fovut:: Nes aiddition (1955, at nijht 1 af 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 U RECEIVED DATE ENTEF SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGIS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOG 2 3 NAME HISTORIC Follen Community Church AND/OR COMMON Same LOCATION CITY. TOWN Lexington _VICINITY OF COUNTY Mid PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT J. March DATE OF PHOTO NEGATIVE FILED AT Follen Community Church, 755 Massachusetts Avenue IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW. DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Side view of church looking north. Parsonage can be seen just front of the church. New addition (1955) at extreme right.

PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER NPS Number 4.30.76 TIt1e: Follen CoMMunity Church Middleser Cty, Mass. Loc. vieus of frant facing eaot 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 U RECEIVED DATE ENTE SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGI. TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTO( 3 NAME HISTORIC Follen Community Church AND/OR COMMON Same LOCATION CITY, TOWN Lexington -VICINITY OF coUNTY Mi ddl PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT J. March DATE OF PHOT( NEGATIVE FILED AT Follen Community Church, 755 Massachusetts Avenue IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Front view facing east. 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 NOV 2 8 1975 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP APR 3 0 1976 1 NAME HISTORIC Follen Community Church AND/OR COMMON Same 2 LOCATION CITY. TOWN Lexington 3 MAP REFERENCE SOURCE USGS, Iexington Quadrangle SCALE 1:24000 4 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES _VICINITY OF COUNTY Middlesex STATE MA DATE 1971 INT: 2986-75 GESE PAITTPCELAG Paul Guzzi Pecretary of the Commonrvealth November 25, 1975 The Commonvealth of Massachusetts Ofice of the Secretary Massachuselt, Historical Commission 2asuaen StreeBoston, Massachusalts 02108 e0xxxxex 727-8470 191 10 RECEIVED Mr.

Charles Herrington, Chief Registration National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Department of the Interior washington, D.C. 20240 NOV 2 8 1975 NATIONIAL REGISTTER 20 To Dear Charles: Enclosed please find two National Register nominations for the following properties: 1. Iexington, Follen Community Church 2. Iexington, The Stone Building Originally submitted together as "buildings," the nomination for the Stone Building and the Follen Community Church was returned to us on June 26, 1975 with the suggestion that the two buildings be nominated separately. These properties were voted eligible for individual submission on July 8, 1975 by the Massachusetts Historical Commission (State Review Board) and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer, Elizabeth Reed Amadon. Sincerely yours, Pat Patricia L.

Weslowski Survey Director Massachusetts Historical Commission PIW/mw Enclosures - HABS ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER MASSACHUSETTS STATE MFK 30 1978 Date Entered Name The Stone Building Superior Courthouse and Bartlett Mall The Follen Coumunity Church Sands, Hiram, House Lexington Grean Historte Mstrict South Congregaticeal Church Paine, Tinothy House Bartlett-Russell-Hedge House Location Lexington Middlesex County Newburyport Essex County Lexington Middlesex County Cambridge Hiddlesex County Lexington Middlesex County Springfield Hampden County Worcester Worcester County Plymouth Plymouth County 5/4/76 U Also Notified - Hon. ..Hon. Edward y. Kennedy Edward Tooxe Hon. Paul Isongas ¿Hon. Michael J. Harrington =lion. Thomas P. O"Heill, Jr. *lion. Edward P. Boland Hon. Joseph D. Early Hon. Gerry E. Studds Regional Director, North Atlantic Region State Historic Preservation Officer Mra.

Elizabeth R. Amadon Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Coumission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 INT: 2950-75 NATONAL , REGISTER DATA SHEET ME as it opears on federal register: 2OTHER NAMES: date of entry: Follen Community Church 4-30-76 county code: 017 LOCATION street & number 755 Massachusetts Ave. OWNE EXISTI city I town Lexington OMULTIPLE -FEDERAL (agency name) FUNDED? OYES ONO (U)CONGRESS. DISTRICT MAL HISTORIE vicinity of ate MA 6)NPS REGION: North Atlantic 12) SOURCE of NOMINATION Jeounty Middlesex ADMINISTRATOR:_ -FEDERAL if state who prepared form? .

3017 OLOCAL -PRIVATE ORGANIZATION 1 CONDITION Odeteriorated Xaltered Dexcellent Xoriginal site 17) features: XSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 XUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 2 2 OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 3 Oruins Xgood Ounaltered moved ONOT INTACT-O EO NOT INTACT-O QONOT INTACT - O Dunexposed Dfair Oreconstructed Ounknown WOUNKNOWN-4 WCUNKNOWN-5 Ounexcavated Oexcavated 2O NOT APPLICABLE -7 WONOT APPLICABLE-8 3XUNKHOWN-6 M O NOT APPLICABLE - 9 S ACCESS ES-Restricted DYES - Unrestricted - No Access - Unknown 19) ADAPTIVE USE DYES AuO SAVED? OYES IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT? Dyes E AREAS OF: SIGNIFICANCE : DENGINEERING-11 -LANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 LPOLITIC CRECREATION -28 29CLAIMS: explain CARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric-2 - COMMERCE - 6 CENTERTAINMENT -26 C LAW - 16 first'X RELLE C SETTLEMENT-29 Sac nanent home o) The Relis Soc.

O) E.hexington CARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS -7 CEXPLORATION -12 - LITERATURE - 17 ICIENCE- 23 CURBAN PLANNING-31 AGRICULTURE - CONSERVATION- 8 -HEALTH-27 - MILITARY - 18| SOCIAL/HUMANITAR J OTHER (SPECIFY) 'oldest'O X ARCHITECTU - ECONOMICS- 9 - INDUSTRY- 13 OMUSIC- 19 - SOCIAL / CULTURAL-30 - ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 C INVENTION -14 - PHILOSOPH - TRANSPORTATION -25 'only' Xoctagunal stuictave in 3functions dates of initial const stion: (840-41 41) hexinaton ETNIC GROUP WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: CHURCH major alterations: 1857 ASSOCIATION CURRENTLY: CHURCH historic German architectural style(s): ot designer (2 ) master builder: engineer: Rev. Charles Follen ©landscape architeet / garden designer: interior decorator: arti artisan: builder/contractor: NAMES give role & date PERSONAL: Rev.

Charles Theodore Christian Follen, Harvard professor of German whose radical abolitionist views cost him his professorship, early pastor of the Religious Society of East Lexington (formed 1833), architect of the original EVENTS: church building. INSTITUTIONAL: SNATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP Frame, narrow clapboarding; Istory, octagonal, hipped roof, front double-door entrance with fonlight in base of octagonal bell and clock tower with louvered belfry and spire, pointed-arched openings; reor besenmente srong addition, 1955. Octagonze, greek Revival elements. First permanent home of the Religious Society of East Lexington, group avowing liberal social and religious views, formed in 1833j only octagonal structure in towno designod by Rev. Oharles Follen, pastur of the Society. bibbemspodinn He faller chant sociiy geN t _dato 1/12/18 13.78 SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSES