Nomination for Stone Building

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev.

10-74) DATA SHEET UNITEDSTATES DEPARTMENT OFTHE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVED|OV 2 8 1975 DATE ENTERED APR 3 0 1976 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME *+ HISTORIC The Stone Building AND/OR COMMON The East Lexington Branch Library (Cary Memorial Library) 2 LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 735 Massachusetts Avenue CITY, TOWN Lexington STATE Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY -DISTRICT *BUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE _SITE OBJECT OWNERSHIP X PUBLIC PRIVATE BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION _IN PROCESS BEING CONSIDERED - VICINITY OF CODE 025 STATUS X_ OCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE X YES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED -NO NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 5th COUNTY Middlesex CODE 017 PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE _MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL _PARK XEDUCATIONAL PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT RELIGIOUS GOVERNMENT SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY _OTHER: 4 OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Town of Lexington STREET & NUMBER Lexington Town Hall CITY.TOWN Lexington -VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION STATE Massachusetts 02173 COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC.

South Middlesex Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER 208 Cambridge Street CITY. TOWN Cambridge REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS STATE Massachusetts 02138 TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth Historic American Buildings Survey (MASS-605) DATE 1967 (Mass,); 1941 (HABS) DEPOSITORY FOR Massachusetts Historical Commission SURVEY RECORDS CITY. TOWN Washington, DC *FEDERAL *STATE - COUNTY -LOCAL Boston STATE Massachusetts 02108 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION -EXCELLENT xGOOD FAIR DETERIORATED _RUINS CHECK ONE -UNALTERED X ALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE. _UNEXPOSED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Stone Building (Cary Memorial Library) faces onto Massachusetts Avenue (formerly Main Street), one of the principal roads in East Lexington. It is set back from the road approximately thirty feet and is surrounded by a cir- cular driveway. The Stone Building was designed in 1833 by architect Isaac Melvin of Concord and is said to be his first work. The contractor was John Colby and the car- penter was Curtis Capell. The building is an impressive example of the Greek Revival style. The two-story structure is five bays wide and five bays deep. Its tetrastyle portico is supported by massive fluted Doric columns, and its front pediment contains two quarter-circle windows with finely wrought radiating sash. A series of guttae at the eaves adds further ornament to the pediment. The main focus of the front facade, and the highlight of the entire building, is the central entrance.

The doorway is surmounted by a fanlight and flanked by sidelights. The entrance is further enhanced by Greek fretwork and other detail derived from anthemion and palmette motits, The second-floor window above the doorway echoes the sidelights and Greek detail below. Heavy pilasters add emphasis at either corner of the front facade. The Stone Building is sheathed with white clapboards, and the dark green shuttered windows have six over six lights. Three brick chimneys rise from the ridge roof. The exterior of the building is basically unaltered from its original appearance. Inside the downstairs floor has been adapted for library purposes, although the upstairs meeting room remains much the same as when it was used for religious and political gatherings. 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 RECEIVED DATE ENTERED APR 3 0.1976 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 2 PAGE 1 Ihe Stone Building, Iexington, Massachusetts (Middlesex County) Correction: The Stone Building is located in the Fourth Congressional District. TOIlIeIY RECEIVED MAR 2 2 1976 NATIONAL TATETE REGISTER 59

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 X ARCHITECTURE ART COMMERCE COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _CONSERVATION _LAW LECONOMICS XLITERATURE XEDUCATION -MILITARY ENGINEERING MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY LINDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT LINVENTION _RELIGION SCIENCE _SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER _TRANSPORTATION OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1833 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT Isaac Melvin The Stone Building is significant as one of the early centers of free-thinking and discussion for religious, philosophical and cultural groups in the East Village of Lexington. The building is also the most elaborate Greek Revival structure in East Lexington today. In 1832 Eli Robbins, a wealthy merchant and public spirited citizen of Lexington, saw the need for a public building in the town where lectures, preaching, and other meetings could be held and particularly where freedom of speech, including the current anti-slavery point of view, might be allowed. In the spring of 1833 Robbins engaged Mr.

Isaac Melvin of Concord to design a suitable building located in the "East Village" of Lexington about two miles along the main road from the Battle Green, In the same year citizens of the East Village petitioned the Town Meeting to provide a church and a minister in their own part of town. When no help was given, they formed the "Religious Society of the East Village" and in 1835 they began meeting in the building which Eli Robbins had commissioned. The pastor of the new religious society was the Reverend Charles Follen who had been forced to flee his native Germany because of 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 Har- vard College.

In order to give full expression to his religious, moral, and pol- itical opinions, Follen tured to the ministry. After six months of preaching to the Religious Society of the East Village, Follen was called to Watertown, and he sent as his replacement Ralph Waldo Emerson who preached in the hall about two years. Emerson was succeeded by other noted men such as the Reverend John Plerpont, the Reverend Theodore Parker, and the Reverend Samue1 . May. The building was also used as a gathering place for a number of other groups, Thoreau was said to have considered it as a home for his private school. In 1851 the building was sold to Abner Stone who lived there with his family until his death in 1872. After the death of the widow Stone, her daughter, Miss Ellen A. Stone, offered the town the large house for use as a library.

As an expression of its gratitude, the town voted to call the building the "Stone Building". It has been used ever since as a library and is today the East Lexington Branch Library (Cary Memorial Library).

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Piper, Dr. Fred Smith. "Architectural Yesterdays in Lexington," Proceedings of the Lexington Historical Society, Vol. IV, Lexington, Mass. 1912. Smith, A. Bradford. History of the Stone Building," Proceedings of the Lexington Historical Society, Vo1. II, Lexington, Mass. 1900.

10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY _ UTM REFERENCES .37 A 19/ 311,8420 ZONE EASTING C 4 6|0 0/00 NORTHING LiliLu VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION ZONE EASTING NORTHING LiLL 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 Judy Dobbs, National Register Editor ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 294 Washington Street CITY OR TOWN Boston DATE November 24, 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 02108 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 TITLE Executive Director, Massachusetts FOR.NPS USE ONLY 1HEBEBY CERTIFY THA THIS PROPERTY I5 bik Kud Amadm Historical Conmission DATE Nov.

25,1975 IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER ATTEST: SIRECTOROF KEEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER ARCHERL BND HI DATE PRESERVATION DATE 1/30/76 4-28-76 GPO 888-445 Property The Stone Building and the Follen Community Church State Working Number 6.13. 25. 1084 TECHNICAL UTM increct Photos Maps CONTROL 2 Agree- need 2 nomination 6.16.15 HISTORIAN Retes L0.Rluce 6/18/75 ROM AN ARCHITELTURAL VIEW POINT, THESE BUILDINGS ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN SMOULD BE NOMINATED SEPARATELY WITH BETTER STATEMENTS OF SiGNIFICANCE, THE OWLY RELATIONSHIPS BEUWEEN THESE BUILDINES ARE 1) THEY ARE ADÍACENT AND 2) FOLLEN PREACHED RETURN? IN THE STONE BUILDiNE BEFORE THE CHURCA WAS BUILT. 10-18-75 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry Send-back b.20,75 Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No.

7 APR 3 0 1976 INT:2106 - 74 Proerty The Stone: Biulding State Mass. Horking Number //. 28.75,2027 TECHNICAL Photos - / Maps Middlesex CONTROLpl OK12.225 HISTORIAN Accept E, Amith 1-14-16 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ACCERT -1tmd 17/18 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Cole 4/26/76 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER Hungo 4.28.76 Entered APR 30 1976 INT:2106-74 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 6-1-76 Send-back Re-submit United States Department of the Interior A ti 1 Park Service WASO No. 7 FAST BRANCH LIBRARY 3BOPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER NPS Number 4-30-76 Title: The Stove Buildin Middlesen Cty. Mase. Loc. Vieu facing esat. frant comei vieu. Iah/ PHOTOGRAPH BY ELIZABETH HEATH 6 MELLON ROAD WELLESLEY, MASS. 02181 7EASE CREDT PHOT 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 NOV 2 8 1975 RECEIVED DATE ENTERED APR 3 0 1976 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 2 3 NAME HISTORIC The Stone Building AND/OR COMMON East Lexington Branch Library (Cary Memorial Library) LOCATION CITY. TOWN Lexington VICINITY OF countY Middlesex PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Elizabeth Heath DATE OF PHOTO 1975 NEGATIVE FILED AT 6 Mellon Road Wellesley, MA 02181 IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET View facing east, front corner view. STATE MA 1000 PHOTONO 1 aLl 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 1975 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP APR 3 0 1976 3 NAME HISTORIC The Stone Building AND/OR COMMON East Lexington Branch Library (Cary Memorial Library) LOCATION CITY. TOWN Lexington -VICINITY OF COUNTY Middlesex MAP REFERENCE SOURCE USGS, Lexington Quadrangle SCALE 1:24000 DATE 1971 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES STATE MA INT: 2986-75 LAVE LMIAIN Paul Guzzi Secrelary of the Commonrealth November 25, 1975 The Commonwealih of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary Massachusell, Histerical Commission 294 Nashington street *axxaxx0xxxxx* Boslon, Massachusells 02108 727-8470 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 NATIONAL REGISTTER 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 I.

Weslowski Survey Director Massachusetts Historical Commission PIW/mw Enclosures HE BETR CREAGIDE HE LBEATATE QUIFETRE PAUL GUZZI Secrobary of the Commonwealth The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary: Massachusetts Historical Commission 291 Mashinghon Srod Boston, Massachuselts 02108 (617)727-8470 4 March 1976 1 Mr. Charles Herrington Chief, Registration Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation National Park Service US Department of the Interior 18th and C Streets, NW Washington, DC 20240 Dear Charles: RECEIVED, MAR 2 2 1976 NATIONAL REGISTER AT -9 Please consider the following amendment to the National Register nomination for the Follen Community Church and the Stone Building (Iexington, Massachusetts, Middlesex County) which were submitted to you November 11, The Congressional District is the Fourth Congressional District and not the Fifth.

Under redistricting a few years ago, the town of lexington was divided and became part of two different districts, and this fact was only recently pointed out to us. Continuation sheets for each nomination stating the correction are enclosed. Sincerely yours, Patricia I. Weslowski Survey Director Massachusetts Historical Commission PIW:JDD: jd enclosuzes ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS A:K 301076 Date Entered Name The Stone Bullding Superior Courthouse and Bartlett Mall The Follen Coumunity Church Sands, Hiram, House Lexington Gxeon Histoxic Nistrict South Congregatiornl Church Paine, Tinothy llouse Bartlett-Rusael1-Hedge Hlouse Location Lexington Middlesex County Newburyport Essex County Lexington Middlesex County Cambridge Middlesex County Lexington Middlesex County Springfield Hampden County Worcester Worcester County Plymouth Plymouth Couaty 5/4/76 & Hon.

Also Notified Wiward elon. Paul Tsongae ¿ Hon. Michael J. Harrington = lion. Thonas P. O'Ne11l, JI. a Hon. 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 Ilistorical Conmission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 INT: 2950-75 DNAME a NATIONAL REGISTER DATA SHEET appears on federal register: ® OTHER NAMES: LEast Lexington Branch Library (Cary Memorial Library) -30-76) 017 6 LOGATION street & number vicinity of 6NPS REGION: /35 Massachusetts Ave. exington MA Middlesex North Atlantic OWNER PRIVATE CISTATE MUNICIPALEDCOUNTY OMULTIFLE OFEDERAL (agency name) 8ADMINISTRATOR: 9 EXIST SURVEYS CRABS DOEAER INHL (10)FUNDED? DYES 11)CONGRESS. DISTRICT (12) SOURCE of NOMINATION ASTATE CFEDERAL if state who prepared form?

WITHIN NATIDNAL REGISTER HISTORIC BISTRICT! TIBNAL HISTORIC LANOMARK1 YACREAGE MAME. -37 -LOCAL OPRIVATE ORGANIZATION 1 CONDITION - deteriorated Xaltered Xoriginal site 1features: COSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 @ESUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-2 Dexcellent 2OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 3 Oruins Dunaltered -moved 9SNOT INTACT-O CNOT INTACT-O *good Dunexposed Dreconstructed Ounknown Ofair ROUNKHOWN-4 QONOT INTACT - O >XUNKNOWH-6 Ounexcavated Dexcavated WUNKNOWN-5 EONOT APPLICABLE-7 WO NOT APPLICABLE-8 W-NOT APPLICABLE - 9 BACCESS &YES-Restricted DYES -Unrestricted - No Access - Unknown 19 ADAPTIVE USE SSYES NO SAVED? DYES IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT?

Oyes Da @ AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : DENGINEERING-11 DLANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 - POLITICS / GOVT.- 21 -RECREATION -28 @CLAIMS: explain CARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric-2 -COMMERCE-6 -ENTERTAINMENT-26 - LAW - 16 - RELIGION-22 'first'O -SETTLEMENT-29 -ARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS-7 CEXPLORATION -12 - LITERATURE - 17 - SCIENCE - 23 DURBAN PLANNING-31 'oldest' O AGRICULTURE -3 - CONSERVATION - 8 - HEALTH -27 - MILITARY- 18 SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN-24 DOTHER (SPECIFY) $ ARCHITECTURE -4 - ECONOMICS-9 O INDUSTRY - 13 - MUSIC - 19 * SOCIAL / CULTURAL - 30 -ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 - INVENTION - 14 - PHILOSOPHY - 20 - TRANSPORTATION -25 'only' D functions @dates of initial constructiol.

1833 ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: Educational Religious major alterations : CURRENTLY: eeducational istoric events: architectural style(s): Greek Revival ®landscape architeot / garden designer: @architecdi2 Isaac MELVIN interior decorator: @artist: master builder: artisar? Curtis Capell- carpenter engineer: builder/contractor: DJohn Colby NAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: NATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UD Frame, clapboarding; 2%½ stories, rectangular, gabled roof, interior chimneys, front center entrance with semiellptical fanlight and sidelights, tetrastyle templeform portico with avarter-round pediment openings! side entrance maltered toresidential use, 1851 and kibrany use, Sffer 1872. Greek Pevival. Early area center for free thinking and descussion groups. viewers initialsQeoffdatel.10.78 I IF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSE