Nomination for First Congregational Church of East Longmeadow

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) H 0500399 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED JUL 6 1977 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED JAN 3_ 1978 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 1 NAME HISTORIC Meeting House of the Third Religious Society of Longmeadow AND/OR COMMON First Congregational Church of East Longmeadow (preferred) 2 LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 7 Somers Road CITY.

TOWN East Longmeadow STATE - VICINITY OF 6295 _NOT FOR PUBLICATION ONGRESSIONAL nd Massachusett COUNTYHampden Massachusetts 3 CLASSIFICATION C08I3 CATEGORY DISTRICT *BUILDING(S) -STRUCTURE SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC X PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION _IN PROCESS -BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED -YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO PRESENT USE -AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM -COMMERCIAL _PARK _EDUCATIONAL -PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT * RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC -INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION -MILITARY _OTHER: 4 OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME The First Congregational Church of East Longmeadow STREET & NUMBER 7 Somers Road CITY. TOWN East Longmeadow _ VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC.

Hampden County Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER STATE Massachusetts 01028 55 Elm Street CITYTOWN STATE Massachusetts Springfield 6 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1973 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS Massachusetts Historical Commission CITY. TOWN _FEDERAL XSTATE COUNTY _LOCAL Boston STATE Massachusetts 7- DESCRIPTION CONDITION _EXCELLENT *GOOD -FAIR -DETERIORATED -RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE _UNALTERED X ALTERED CHECK ONE -ORIGINAL SITE XMOVED DATE 1858 DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

East Longmeadow's First Congregational Church is located on a triangular lot between Somers Road (Route 83) and Prospect Street (Route 186). The church faces north onto Center Square, which is the center of East Longmeadow. Erected in 1828, the church is a simple 45' x 55' rectangle with a ridge roof, Classical Revival in style. The gable faces Center Square. The side elevations are three bays deep. The building is sheathed in clapboards except for the facade which is match board. The facade is dominated by a smaller Ionic temple front, which projects out from the body of the church. Four pilasters are interrupted above the first floor entrance level by an entablature with a frieze and dentilated cornice. At the entrance-level are a center entry and two windows framed by the pilasters. Above this entry level is the temple front proper.

Between the pilasters are double hung multi-paned windows running 3/5th's of the way down from the entablature. The temple front is completed by a pedi- ment. Above the entrance is a square bell tower with round arched windows. Above this is an octagonal enclosed cupola with corner pilasters, topped by a small ridged dome 2223223 with a windvane. The side elevations have long, double hung, multi-pane windows framed by shutters and topped by round arched, louvered fans. Just north of the first bay of the west elevation is a small, square exterior chimney. The church rests on an almost completely exposed brick basement which has been painted white. In 1858 the building was moved 750' north to its present site. Prior to 1911, two of the original three entrance doors were replaced by windows. A 30' x 45' addition was built at the southern end in 1926.

In 1948 a chancel was extended into the addition to enlarge the sanctuary. Fellowship Hall, to the west, and a breeze- way were built in 1953, at which time the basement was renovated. The greensward in front of the church was donated with the provision that it forever remain a park or common. If it is used for any other purpose, it will revert to the donors' heirs. The original wood clapboarding has been covered with aluminum clapboarding.

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 LARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _AGRICULTURE _ARCHITECTURE ART _COMMERCE _COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE .-. CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW _COMMUNITY PLANNING _LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _CONSERVATION _LAW LECONOMICS _LITERATURE _EDUCATION _MILITARY _ENGINEERING MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY _INDUSTRY XPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT _INVENTION XRELIGION _SCIENCE _SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER _TRANSPORTATION _OTHER(SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1828 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT . First Congregational Church is significant as the oldest church and church building in the Town of East Longmeadow. It is also notable for the unique system used to finance its construction and for the role it has played in town matters. In 1827 the "Proprietors of the Meeting House of the Third. Religious Society on Longmeadow" was established. Shares in this corporation were sold at a fixed value of $10 per with a limit of ten shares to any one holder. This corporation built the present church. There was no third religious society or other organiza- tion extant. In 1829, the Second Congregational Church and Third Religious Society of Longmeadow was founded by 45 people from the area. In 1858, after seven years of discussion, the Society bought the church building from Proprietors and moved it down the hill to its present location.

Until 1882 and the erection of the Town Hall here in East Village, Town Meeting was held in this church, alternating yearly with West Village. In 1894 the community separated into two towns, Longmeadow and East Longmeadow. The ecclesiastical society was dissolvedin 1910 when the First Congregational Church of East Longmeadow was incorporated.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Records of the First Congre gational Church of East Longmeadow Champlin, Winslow S; The History of the Town of East Longmeadow, 1948. Town History Group; Seventy-Five Years a Town. 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY 12/3 acres. UTM REFERENCES A18 D5Z9 14959939 ZONE EASTING NORTHING CLULLILL Llul VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION ZÓNE EASTING NORTHING EASTING ULLLLul 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 Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 294 Washington Street CITY OR TOWN Boston Jeanne P. Goodlatte East Longmeadow Doris Cruikshank Historical Commissic Joseph R.

Orfant, National Register Editor & John Loito DATE November 29, 1976 TELEPHONE 617-727-8470 STATE Massachusetts 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESER VATION 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 EliabutQul Amadon TITLE Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission DATE 6/27/77 OR NPS USE ONLY THERERY CERTIY THAF THIS POPEATYI NELYDED IN THE NATIONAL PEGISTER BRLCIOR PLICE OF ARCHEOLOGY(A BAUtOnO PRESERVATION DATE KMMPER OF.

TMU 1.3.78 DATE 1.3:78 HEGISTER MEEPER OF THE NAHIONAL REGISTER GPO 892- 453 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 JUL 6 1977 DATE ENTERED First Congregational Church, East Longmeadow, MA. Sketch Map CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER PAGE TOWN HALL NORTH MAIN StREET JAN 3 1978 EXXON MAPLE ST. CENTER SQUARÉ N Scale: 1"=80' SHAKER ROAD PLEASANT STREET DRIVE CHORCH SOMERS ROAD: PROSPEC STREE 1926 1953 FEUOWSHEP 4 BREREWAY ADOITION HALL PARKING LOT WILLIAM STREET 78000444 propersfuict Congregational Chuch of Eact Longmeadawr state Mass. Working Number7.6.27.1089 HAmpden TECHNICAL Photos - 3 CONTROL Maps / OK 1.2.22 wayo - theimpartat.

assaciations atlulueted to lle HISTORIAN to toe'vey affaent pre 1926 apperrane Do we list nast Neu Englod tawn halls? sbafy 12-2-17 ... "OLDEST Ds it scall rally parceueed to lo o "histaie beds THE TOWNN." CHURCH 9 CHURCH BUILDING IN- ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN 4 BRIEK STATEMENT of SIGNIFICANCE, THOUCAt. ACLERI 11/21/77 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER acdlitious to veas and secle do not distract from origual massing. justifed fo selagion + Inventory Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Cocept vebovieli 12/27/72 BRANCH CHIEF Hunp 1.3 .78 KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 3.7.28 Send-back Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 1.3.78 JAN 3 1978 INT: 2106-74 pirat Congrogational charch bu East Iongmeadowi MAr Long Feb., 1977 Robert F. Heald Holly Hill Photos Hampdenco.

167 Pleasant Street, East Iongmeadow Photo #1 0.3 Nothwest view- Facade and west elevation JUL 6 1977 stursal Clurch g 2ast Bags grcadou, Maso. Feb. 1977 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER 472 418 PROFLOTY OF THE NATIONAL FAIOT bOiL. PKUrLNi v. « URAL KEGISTER I (801) 700 E 9NOT ] EAUrLNET ui mc brdonna MUSTER %19 5261 fomtog-lonf aradoap, topo arad maz dngamogoai groamar popoomtar Tama ( First Congregational Church 7, E. Lory East Longmeadow, MA. 1976 HtampdenG. Ken Anderson East Longmeadow Historical Commission East Longmeadow, Massachusetts Photo #203 Interior looking towards the apse. JUL 6 1977 JAN 3 1978 First Congregationa1 Church 5f East Longmeadow, MA. E. Long Feb., 1977 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL RE Robert F. Heald JAN 3 19/8 Holly Hill Photos HampdenCo.

Hall 167 Pleasant Street, East Iongmeadow Photo #3 M3 Looking toward north facade of Fellow- ship Hall (west of Church proper) al llinch o fast foe q zeee JUL 6. 1977 xose ( "ymiacloe, slaas. F26. 1917 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered JAN 3 1978 Name First Congregational Church of BastIongneadow Location Bast Longneadow Also Notified Hon. Edward W. Brooke Hon. Baward M. Kennedy Hon. Bdvard P. Boland Regional Director, North Atlantic Region 880 Mott/js 1/9/78 State Historie Preservation Officer Mes. E11zabeth R.

Anadon Esecutive Director, Massachusetts Historical Comnission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusette 02108 PH0500399 NATONAL L REGISTER DATA SHEEL ONAME as it appears on federal register: 2OTHER NAMES: of Longmeadow PAN county code: First Congregational Church of East Longmeadow Meetinghouse of the Third Religious Society 13 6 LOCATION street & number vicinity of state county Somers Rd. OWNER XPRIVATE OOSTATE OMUNICIPAL OCOUNTY COMULTiPLE 9 EXISTING SURVEYS [HABS CHAER NHL(10)FUNDED? OYES East Longmeadow -FEDERAL (agency name) -NO (11)CONGRESS.

DISTRICT 2nd MA GNPS REGION: NA 12) SOURCE Of NOMINATION IATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC ) CONDITION - deteriorated Daltered Doriginal site Dexcellent Oruins Ounaltered Omoved -good Ounexposed Ofair Oreconstructed Ounknown Ounexcavated Dexcavated BACCESS OYES-Restricted DYES - Unrestricted - No Access AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : DENGINEERING-11 CARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric-2 OCOMMERCE-6 DENTERTAINMENT-26 CARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS-7 -EXPLORATION-12 -AGRICULTURE-3 - CONSERVATION - 8 -HEALTH-27 - ARCHITECTURE -4 - ECONOMICS- 9 C INDUSTRY - 13 - ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 -INVENTION - 14 - Unknown DLANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 - LAW - 16 - LITERATURE - 17 - MILITARY - 18 - MUSIC - 19 - PHILOSOPHY -20 1features: CSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 QONOT INTACT-O EO UNKNOWN-4 20 NOT APPLICABLE -7 (19 ADAPTIVE USE DYES ONO SAVED?

DYES - POLITICS / GOVT." 21 CRECREATION -28 O RELIGION- 22 - SETTLEMENT-29 - SCIENCE- 23 -URBAN PLANNING-31 - SOCIAL/ HUMANITARIAN -24 DOTHER (SPECIFY) - SOCIAL / CULTURAL - 30 - TRANSPORTATION-25 Hampden 8ADMINISTRATOR: *STATE -FEDERAL if state who prepared form? OLOCAL -PRIVATE ORGANIZATION «OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-2 2OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 3 9O NOT INTACT-O CONOT INTACT - O WO UNKNOWN-5 5OUNKNOWN-6 EO NOT APPLICABLE-8 JONOT APPLICABLE - 9 IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT?

Dyes Ono CLAIMS: explain 'first'O 'oldest' O 'only' D 23 functions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: CURRENTLY: 2architectural style(s): dates of initial construction: major alterations : historic events: ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION architect: amaster builder: engineer: Dlandscape architeot / garden designer: " interior decorator: artist: artisan: abuilder/contractor: -NAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: ONATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP lreviewers initials_ datel IF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSE