Nomination for Chatham Railroad Depot

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 FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVED JUN 3 0 1978 DATE ENTERED NOV 27 1978 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 1 NAME HISTORIC Chatham Railroad Depot AND/OR COMMON Chatham Railroad Museum 2 LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 153 Depot Road CITY.TOWN Chatham STATE -VICINITY OF CODE 025 _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 12th COUNTY Barnstable CODE 001 L 3 Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY _DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) -STRUCTURE -SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP XPUBLIC -PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION _IN PROCESS - BEING CONSIDERED STATUS _OCCUPIED XUNOCCUPIED - WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE XMUSEUM _COMMERCIAL _PARK -EDUCATIONAL - PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY OTHER: 4 OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME - Town of Chatham STREET & NUMBER CITY.

TOWN Selectmen's Office, Town Office Building, Main Street STATE Chatham Massachusetts 02633 VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE. STREET & NUMBER REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC. Registry of Deeds, Barnstable County Courthouse Barnstable Complex, Route 6A CITY. TOWN STATE Barnstable Massachusetts 02630 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth 5 DATE 1977 _FEDERAL XSTATE _COUNTY _LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS Massachusetts Historical Commission CITY. TOWN STATE Boston Massachusetts 02108 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION .EXCELLENT _GOOD -FAIR DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE UNALTERED X ALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE. DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Chatham Railroad Depot is located on Depot Road on the outskirts of Chatham. The building sits on its original site and is presently surrounded by contemporary structures. A low hedge separates the ¼ acre of property from the street. The Queen Anne/Stick Style depot was constructed in 1887. It is a 1½ story, gable root, rectangular structure with a hexagonal tower rising from the north (rear) elevation. The symmetrical building is painted yellow with maroon trim. A molded stringcourse ties the window cornices together and defines the difference in exterior sheathing. The lower portion of the building is clapboards; the upper is flat boards. The overhanging eaves are supported by large brackets, which are flanked by a boss creating an unusual and ornamental entablature. The roof is covered with cedar shingles. Fenestration is 2/2 framed by wide, flat architraves.

The south facade has a centrally located, one-story projection with a shed roof. Ihis small section has four windows and is flanked by a five panel entrance door to either side on the main body of the building. These doors are headed by single light transoms. A single window stands at either end of the facade. The east and west elevations each have a double window on the first story and a small triple arched window in the gable. The north (rear) elevation is identical to the facade with the addition of the central tower. The ground level of the tower is a three-sided bay. Four windows occupy the bay, each with a molded panel below. These windows are headed by the Chatham Depot sign. The portion of the tower rising from the buiiding roof is divided into four sections. The first is sheathed in a clapboard-diapered shingle-clapboard pattern.

The second section is defined by a slight overhand and has small single and double segmentally arched windows crowned by a diapered shingle pattern. The third section is the tower entablature, identical to the building entablature, which carries the fourth section, the roof. The peak of the hexagonal roof is topped by a pinnacle. The tower was slightly altered in 1900. Ornamentaion over the window cornices was replaced by the diapered shingles. The building colors are not original. The depot complex originally included a passenger station, freight house, engine house, car house, and tool shed. Only the passenger station remains, and now houses the Chatham Railroad Museum.

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- 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 XTHEATER -TRANSPORTATION -OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1887 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT David Howes, Builder The Chatham Railroad Depot is significant as the only remaining railroad station on Cape Cod in its original condition, and as a good example of late 19th century Queen Anne/Stick Style architecture. The depot was constructed by David Howes, builder, for the Chatham Railroad Company and Old Colony Railroad Company in 1887. The establishment of a rail line to Chatham increased both the infant tourist trade and the amount of commercial goods shipped to and from the town. The railroad contributed largely to the gradual shift in Chatham's economy from one dependent on salt water trades and agriculture to one dependent on tourism and construction. Despite numerous attempts to attract a railroad to Chatham prior to 1887, no company was willing to underwrite a small branch line to only one town. The Chatham Railroad Co.

was organized by several citizens with the support of town officials in the winter of 1886-87. The main purpose of the organization was to raise funds to build a line connecting with the main line of the Old Colony Railroad that ran through Harwich center. The company was open to anyone who wished to buy shares in it. The majority of shareholders were a few individuals; the town of Chatham was the largest single shareholder. The Chatham Railroad Co. purchased land for the line, but the actual railroad was built by the Old Colony Co. between May and November 1887. The line opened for business in November 1887 and ran a distance of seven miles. The Chatham Railroad Co. owned the depot and railyard with a repair shop, turntable and watertower. They also owned a small station at South Chatham, but they never owned any rolling stock; they rented the land from the Old Colony Co.

which provided all services. When the Old Colony was absorbed by the New York, New Haven and Hartford, it retained the same arrangement with the Chatham Co. The New Haven Co. discontinued the Chatham line passenger service in the 1920's, and the freight service in the 1930's as no longer profitable. The Chatham company itself went bankrupt in 1937, proving a total loss to its shareholders. The rails were sold as scrap iron to Japan, much to the consternation of the townspeople. The remaining building were sold to private individuals who either had them torn down or converted for storage purposes. The old railroad yard is now occupied by the fire station and elementary school There was a town movement to have the depot destroyed in 1957-58, but it was purchased by Mrs. Phyllis Graves Cox in 1959 with the provision that it be maintained as a museum and not torn down.

The Chatham Railroad Museum was opened in July 1960. It retains the original dispatching and ticket office, pictures and memorabilia. A 52-year old caboose was given by the New York Centra1 Railroad in 1962. It stands directly behind the buildin The museum is supported by donations and by funds from the Town of Chatham.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Henderson, Eleanor,_ A Short History of Transportation in Chatham, Chatham Historical Society, Chatham Press. interview with William R. Main, Chairman, Railroad Museum Committee, June, 1977.

10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY * acre UTM REFERENCES A 1,9 ZONE L4/1,919,1,0 EASTING C L4,6L1,511,1,0 NORTHING Lill VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION BL1J EASTING NORTHING - VORTHING LULLLLILILN 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 Blaine Mallory and Joseph Orfant, National Register Editor Clair Baisly, Thomas Buckley, Mary James, Chatham Historical Commission ORGANIZATION DATE Massachusetts Historical Commission March 14, 1978 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 294 Washington Street 617-727-8470 CITY OR TOWN STATE Boston Massachusetts 02108 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).

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 Patuwa h.Weslowski TITLE Executive Director, Mass. Historical Commission FOR NPS USE ONLY 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTYAS LUPED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DATE 6/21/78 DITDToRTATO ATTEST: LOLMA KEEPER OF THENAFIONAL REGISTER DATE OE" DATE NOU 24,1528 GPO 892.453 Property Chatham Qailsoad Depot State Mass.

Working Number6 3028.3524 TECHNICALZ Photos - Maps CONTROL 25.18 HISTORIAN CATECTURALLY STONIPICANT AS A WELL ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN PESERVED CADE COD DEPOT N AN AOAPTATION o Te QUEEN ANNE STYCE- MOUGH NO CONGRL SUROUNDED BY KUNCTIONAL OUIBULDiNGS, THAS BUILOING VISHALLY DISPUYS ORNAMENTAL MEMT AND RETAINS A HIUA PEUNCE OL INTEGLTY DUE TO IIS RELYCRD UEAA A MUSEUM. ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER Struzturl porsanses -enlearel Regeonally segmfict tanspoitation ONLY REMAINING RAILRUAD DEPOT ON CAPK COD IN DRIGINAL CONDITTON. MOVED BUT ARATITECTURALLY SIGNIFCANT. HAER Inventory Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF ALLEPT Ma BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry Send-back - Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No.

7 NOV 27 1978 INT:2106-74 Chatham Railroad Depot Chatham, Massachusetts 1977 Clair Baisly JUN 3 D 1978 Chatham Historical Commission Chatham, Mass. #1 South facade and east elevation NOV 2 7 1978 ach 77 Baisli v Hislch #1 enlargement font faaing sontht Difot Rord Chatham Railroad Depot Chatham, Massachusetts 1977 JUN 3 0 1978 Clair Baisly Chatham Historical Commission Chatham, Mass- #2 South facade and west elevation NOV 2 7 1978 wit rong 2 bat C Chatham Railroad Depot Chatham, Massachusetts 1977 JUN 3 0 1978 Clair Baisly Chatham Historical Commission Chatham, Mass. Horth (rear) elevation shoning tower., NOV 2 7 1978 rebainting -No Charse made ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered NOV 27 1978 Name Chatham Railroad Depot Location Chatham Barnstable County Also Notified Honorable Edward W. Brooke Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable Gerry E.

Studds State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia I. Weslowski Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Coumission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 NR Byers/bjr 12/5/78 NA'IONA . REGIS' 'ER DATA SHEE'' ONAME as it appears on federal register: OTHER NAMES: ent Chatham Railroad Depot Chatham Railroad Museum NOV27 1978 4) county code: 5 LOCATION street & number city / town 01 vicinity of state 6NPS REGION: 153 Depot Rd. Chatham MA NA 7 OWNER OPRIVATE OSTATE XXMUNICIPAL COUNTY MULTIPLE OFEDERAL (agency name) 9 EXISTINGSURVEYS CHABS CHAER OONHL 10 FUNDED? DYES -NO 11)CONGRESS. DISTRICT 12th 12) SOURCE of NOMINATION ONAL REGISTERHISTORIC DISTRIET/ HISTORIE LANOMARK?

AGREAGE CONDITION Dexcellent Ogood Dfair -deteriorated Oruins Dunexposed Ounexcavated Daltered Doriginal site Dunaltered Omoved Oreconstructed Ounknown Oexcavated 18 ACCESS OYES-Restricted DYES -Unrestricted - No Access AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : -ARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric-2 -COMMERCE-6 -ARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS-7 - AGRICULTURE -3 - CONSERVATION - 8 -ARCHITECTURE-4 - ECONOMICS-9 -ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 DENGINEERING-11 -ENTERTAINMENT-26 -EXPLORATION -12 - HEALTH-27 C INDUSTRY - 13 C INVENTION -14 - Unknown -LANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 - LAW-16 - LITERATURE - 17 - MILITARY- 18 - MUSIC- 19 - PHILOSOPHY -20 17features: county Barnstable BADMINISTRATOR: XI STATE -FEDERAL MA HIS! sho pregared form? ,omm.

DLOCAL -PRIVATE ORGANIZATION CSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 @OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-2 2OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 3 2ONOT INTACT-O 20 NOT INTACT-O ROUNKNOWN-4 CONOT INTACT - O DUNKNOWN-5 50UNKNOWN-6 20NOT APPLICABLE-7 WO NOT APPLICABLE-8 NOT APPLICABLE - 9 19 ADAPTIVE USE DYES DNO SAVED? DYES IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT?

Dyes Ono - POLITICS/ GOVT.* 21 -RECREATION-28 CLAIMS: explain -RELIGION-22 first'D -SETTLEMENT-29 - SCIENCE- 23 DURBAN PLANNING-31 - SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN-24 DOTHER(SPECIFY) - SOCIAL / CULTURAL - 30 - TRANSPORTATION-25 'oldest' O 'only' D *functions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: CURRENTLY: architectural style(s): dates of initial construction: major alterations: historic events: ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION @architect: master builder: niner: landseape architect / garden designer: i interior decorator: artist: @artisan: -builder/contractor: NAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: NATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP reviewers initials. date IIF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSE