Nomination for Westfield Municipal Building

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) PH0504/23 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATA SHEET RECEIVED SEP 2 0 1977 DATE ENTERED MAR 8 -1978 2 3 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC State Normal School AND/OR COMMON Westfield Municipal Building (preferred) LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 59 Court Street CITY.

TOWN Westfield STATE Massachusetts -VICINITY OF CODE 025 _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1st COUNTY Hampden CODE 013 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) STRUCTURE _SITE OBJECT OWNERSHIP XPUBLIC _PRIVATE -BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION LIN PROCESS -BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED LUNOCCUPIED _WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE - YES: RESTRICTED CLYES: UNRESTRICTED 5 0E/ENO: CaD1 PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE -_MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL PARK -EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE -ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS XGOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY _OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME City of Westfield STREET & NUMBER 59 Court Street CITY. TOWN STATE Westfield -- VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION Massachusetts 01085 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC. Hampden County Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER 50 State Street CITY.

TOWN STATE Massachusetts 01103 Springfield REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1976 _FEDERAL YSTATE -COUNTY -LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY. TOWN Massachusetts Historival Commission Boston STATE Massachusetts 02108 DESCRIPTION 4CONDITION EXCELLENT GOOD X_FAIR DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE UNALTERED XALTERED CHECK ONE &ORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Westfield Municipal Building (State Normal School) is located at 59 Court Street in downtown Westfield. The property comprises 34 acres, and is surrounded primarily by commercial structures. The 3½ story I-shaped building was designed by the Boston firm of Hartwell and Richardson, in the RichardsonianeRomanesque style. It was built by the Darling Bro- thers of. Worcester in 1889-92. It is a simple rectangle with gable ends constructed of brick with brownstone trim and a granite foundation. A wide brownstone block band links the lintels of the basement windows. A molded brownstone stringcourse defines the second story floor level. A partially molded brownstone course marks the entabla- ture of the building. The slate tiled ridge roof has three large chimneys. Fenestration is varied. Most of the windows, although of contrasting scale, are 2/2 with multi-light transoms.

Others are round arched, or small and large single casements. The symmetrical, 11 bay wide facade faces south. The center, five bay wide sec- tion is two stories tall. This is flanked by three bay wide, 3½ story tall inter- secting gable sections on the eastern and western ends. Iwo round arched entrances occupy the ends of the center section. Between these are three 2/2 windows with tramsoms, headed by the wooden Westfield Municipal Building sign. The second story of the center section has tall 2/2 windows with transoms. The middle window is headed by a clock face, and crowned by a Romanesque dormer containing a round arched double 6/6 window. The two gable ends each have small basement windows. The first story has a grouping of four small Greek Cross casements nearest to the two entryways.

These are headed by double casements with a trefoil ornamented panel on the second story and an arched 1/1 window and round arched architrave molding on the third story. The eastern and western ends of the gable sections are offset paired 2/2 windows with tramsons on all three stories. The two gables themselves each contain a triple 6/6 window separated by double engaged Romanesque columns and headed by a wide brownstone panel. Above this is a segmentally arched brownstone block band topped by a plain band in each. gable peak. The east elevation is 13 bays deep. The bays are arranged in alternating groups of 3 sections of 3 bays each divided by 2 sections of 2 bays each. The two dividing sections have a full attic floor and a gable pierced by a long round arched window. Fenestration on this elevation is 2/2 with multi light transoms. The gable windows are 8/2 with round arched cornices.

The ground floor of the dividing sections contain round arched entrys. There is a 3 story brick rectangular addition on the southern most end of the elevation. The addition is windowless. It is used for vault space. The west elevation is seven bays deep. First story windows are tall 2/2 with transom. Second story windows are alternating 6/1 and 2/2 with transom. Third Form No. 10-300a (Kev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVESEP 2 0 1977 DATE ENTERED MAR 8 1978 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER PAGE Westfield Municipal Building 7 1 story windows are 2/2 with transom. The central bay is accented by a dormer con- taining a round arched window flanked by engaged Romanesque columns, and headed by relief work in the peak.

The north (rear) elevation has a fully exposed basement story. There is an entrance with a triangular pediment. This is flanked by window on either side, and headed by four windows on the first and second stories with three hip roof dormers over- head, and a skylight in the roof. The western end of the elevation is an inter- secting gable. It has three windows on the basement, first and second stories, and five windows on the third story. The gable pediment contains a round arched Palladian style window. The building wing projects from the eastern end of the rear elevation. It is six bays deep by six bays wide. The west elevation of the wing has two windows on all four stories in the northern end, with two smaller windows on each story to the right of these. The southern end of the wing elevation has a tall round arched window which runs from the second to the third story.

The north (rear) elevation of the wing has a one story brick addition used for storage and vault space. There are two windows remaining on both the basement and first stories. The second story has four windows. The third story has six windows, and the gable pediment has a round arched Palladian style window. The interior of the building was altered during the conversion to the present Municipal Building in 1959. The only alterations to the exterior consist of the two brick additions, one on the east and one on the north elevation.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD _PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 1500-1599 .1600-1699 _1700-1799 X 1800-1899 _1900- AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _CONSERVATION -LAW AGRICULTURE -ECONOMICS _LITERATURE XARCHITECTURE XEDUCATION _MILITARY ART ENGINEERING -MUSIC _COMMERCE _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY _COMMUNICATIONS -INDUSTRY XPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION -RELIGION .SCIENCE _SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER _TRANSPORTATION -OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1889-92 BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT Hartwell and Richardson STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Westfield Municipal Building (formerly the State Normal School) is significant as the former home of the second oldest public teacher training school in the nation. It is an institution which played an important role in the history of western Massachusetts. The Municipal Building is also architecturally significant. It is a structure characteristic of the wave of imitation that followed the great H. H. Richardson's death. Hartwell and Richardson's building uses elements of H. H. Richardson's work at his best: materials, solidity, heavy rounded arched, Roman- esque motifs and details, arched set within rectangular panels, and the high pitched roof. The Municipal Building is one of several structures in the City of Westfield which have housed men and women preparing for careers in elementary and middle school education.

The State Normal School at Westfield (now Westfield State College) is the second oldest institution of its kind in the nation and the oldest co-educational teacher-training school. Originally established at Barre in 1839, the State Normal School was intended to educate teachers for the common (i.e. public) schools of western Massachusetts. The school at Barre was closed in 1842 due to the efforts of those advocating private school training for teachers. However, the Normal School reopened two years later on September 4 and Westfield, its survival having been guaranteed by the work of two reformers in the field of education, Horace Mann and James Carter. In 1887 James C. Greenough, principal of the Normal School, initiated an expansion of the curriculum and the establishment of the kindergarten and a gymnastics program. In order to accommodate this expansion a new building was required.

In 1888 the General Court of Massachusetts appropriated $150,000 for the purchase of a site and the construction of a new building. In 1889 a tract of land on Court Street was purchased for $12,500. A contract was made with the Darling Brothers of Worcester to construct the building, and the solid granite foundations were laid in the autumn of 1889. The Normal School Building opened in April 1892 and was formally dedicated in June of the same year. The visiting members of the Board of Education, Milton B. Whitney, Admiral P. Stone, and John W. Dickinson, noted in the Annual Report of 1891 (Pp. 38) that the building "has no large features added solely for ornament, but it gains its effect from good proportion and solidity of mass". The State Normal School at westfield was socially significant not only for the region that it served but for the nation as well.

The school has primarily served in the training of teachers for the public schools of Western Massachusetts, and

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Alumni Association, Triennial Meeting of the Alumni Association, Westfield, 1916. Board of Education, Fifty-Third Annual Report, 1888-89, Boston, 1890;54th Annual Report, 1889-90, Boston, 1891; 55th Annual Report, 1890-91, Boston, 1892. Hitchcock, Henry Russell, The Architecture of H.H. Richardson and His Times, Hamden, Connecticut, Archon Books, 1961. Lockwood, John H., Westfield and its Influences, Vol. II, Springfield, Mass., Spring- field Printing and Binding Co., 1922. Works progres Administration, The State Teachers College at Westfield, 1941. 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY 37 Acres.

UTM REFERENCES A[1,81 L6 8,5/5,7,0 EASTING L4,6/6,5/40,0 NORTHING CL VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION BLJL,LL,I,L - EASTING NORTHING DULLILN LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE 1 FORM PREPARED BY NAME/ TITLE Blaine Mallory and Joseph Orfant, National Register Editor (Les Brodacki, Westfield Planning Board) ORGANIZATION DATE Massachusetts Historical Commission August 8, 1977 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).

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 Hindect Que Amacen Executive Director, Mass. Historical Commission 9/12/77 FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPEACY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STORIe CAVAZION DATE BERER-OE DATE ATTEST: KEEPERO 3.6-78 GPO 892-453 Form No. 10-300a (Kev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONY 2 0 1977 RECEIVED DATE ENTERED MAR 1 8 1978 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER PAGE Westfield Municipal Building 8 1 its influence has been largely in this area.

As President Theodore Roosevelt told a crowd of some 10,000 citizens gathered in Westfield on September 3, 1902: "It is no small honor, no small distinction for a town to have within its borders the second oldest of the institutions which have accomplished such a marvelous work" (W.P.A., The State College at Westfield, 1941, p. 66). The State Normal School has served the nation not only by providing teachers for the schools of Massachusetts, but also in preparing two individuals for their work in government and business. George B. Cortelyou, and graduate of the Normal School in the late nineteenth century, became Secretary of Commerce and Labor under Theodore Roosevelt and was elected the Chairman of the Republican National Committee. He was later appointed Postmaster General and ended his public career as the Secretary of the Treasury.

A distinguished member of the faculty and a chemist, Lewis Benajal Allyn, discovered a means for detecting the presence of harmful chemicals in food. Later, as a member of the Westfield Board of Health, he issued lists of pure foods on the basis of what was later termed the "westfield standard". Finally, the State Normal School has also had an international impact. A Japanese student named Kanda, who earned his undergraduate degree here in the late nineteenth century, ultimately became a member of the Japanese House of Peers and a key person in the establishment of Christian education in Japan. SVX 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 SEP 2 0 1977 MAR 8 1978 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER PAGE KING STREET Westfield Municipal Bldg.

(State Normal School) Sketch Map Scale: 1"=100' City Assessor's Map, 1924 Updated: 1977 Y.M.C.A. WESTFIELD MUNICIPAL BUILDING STREET COURT NORTH State perty Westfield Munrpel Brulding MA Working Number 9.19.27.1459 TECHNICAL "9.19.22.1459 HAMpCONTROI Photos _ CONTROL Maps 9.21.21 HISTORIAN Presest nane es quite OK gueu au duections av manes n tle "Itau le "badk. hat whally rlevart to khafy listere this - but daes naldrig else sumie fran acapt 1-3-18 nassal school dauya IF THE SIGNIHCANCE HAD BEEN PURELY ARCHKELTURAL ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN I WOKO BE MORK CONTORTABLE WITH CALLINL IT THE BUnaNG. HOWEVER, SINCK THE STRENGTAOF ACCERí THE SIGNINCANCE IS RELARO TO THE NORMAL SCHOOL I AM NOT. 11-4-11 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory Review Se biony ayeliladealy and REVIEV UNN CHOEE Cecept lborich Ma.

is adamaut on names 2|14/78 BRANCH CHIEF Hunip >-6-18 KEEPER pugen Entered MAR 8 1978 INT:2106 74 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 4,4.28 Send-back Re-submit United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 DISTRICT CHHRT TO NNEEMONIAN OPTOMETA/ST SA JAMES A. SCHEIP De nPTiCN Westfield Municipal Building Westfield, Massachusetts December, 1976 Westfield Planning Dept., Les Brodacki Municipal Bldg., Westfiela 01085 #-9S Hompden County Looking northeasterly toward south facade and west elevation.

MAR 8 1978 SEP 2 0 1977 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL BAASTANI VOMOn Westfield Municipal Building westfie1d,1Magsachusetts December, Westfield Planning Dept., Les Bro Municipal Bldg., Westfield 01085 #2g5 Hampoeu County Looking west toward east elevatio SEP 20 MAR 8 1978 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL Westfield Municipal Building Westfield, Massachusetts December, 1976 Westfield Planning Dept., Les Brod Municipal Building, Westfield 010 #3 01 5 Hampoo County Looking east toward southern end o: elevation. MAR 8 SEP 2 01977 1978 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONA Westfield Municipal Building Westfield, Massachusetts December, 1976 Westfield Planning Dept.,Les Broda Municipal Building, Westfield 010 #4 g5 HampoeN County Looking east toward northern end oi elevation.

MAR 8 1978 SEP 2 0 1977 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONA Westfield Municipal Building Westfield, Massachusetts December, 1976 Westfield Planning Dept., Les Brodac Municipal Building, Westfield 01085 #5 Hlampoon County Looking south toward north (rear) el SEP 2 0 1977 MAR 8 1978 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL CACIDAM & JIVA LITT PAUL GUZZI Socretary of the Commonucalt September 12, 1977 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Cfice of the Secretary Massachusells Historical Commission 291 Washinglon Slred Boston, Massachusetfs 02108 (617/727-8470 RECEIVED SEP 201977 NATIONAL REGISTER {1 8 Mr. Charles Herrington, Chief National Register of Historic Places OAHP National Park Service Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Charles: Enclosed please find nomination forms for the following properties: 1. Duxbury, Captain Gershom Bradford House 2. Westfield, Westfield Municipal Building 3. Brookline, Devotion House 4.

Millbury, Asa Waters Mansion properties have been reviewed and voted by the State Review Board and signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer, Elizabeth Amadon. Sincerely, at Patricia L. Weslowski Survey Director Massachusetts Historical Conmission PLW/ed enc. WASO-166 (August 1971) U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TELEPHONE REPORT 1. CAI.L To: FROM (Name) 2. ADDRESS (Tel. No. il nerded) Joseph Orfant 617-727-8470 3. SUBJECT, PROJECT NO., ETC. Westfield Municipal Building; State Normal School DATE Sept. 22, 1977 TIME OF CALL 11:15 AM 4. DETAILS OF DISCUSSION Re name: Westfield Municipal Building preferred. Discussed name preference as building was significant because it was was State Normal School (70 years), municipal building less than 20 years but he was adamant. Would reviewer care to take it up with him?

NAME OF PERSON PLACING/RECEIVING CALL Rowland TITLE OFFICE Name O1d Post Office Building Westfleld Munieipal Building ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSZITS Date Entered MAR 8 1978 Location Bzockton Plymouth County Westfield Hanpden Also Notified Hon. Edward W. Brooke Hon. Edward M. Kenuedy Hon. Janes A. Burke Eon. Silvio o. Conte Reglonal Director, North Atlantic Region / 880 Mott/js 3/14/78 State llistorie Preservation Officer Mxs. Elizabath R. Anadon Executive Director, Massachusette Ilistorícal Coumission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 1522 K Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20005 Aprll 19, 1978 Mr. John E. Hansel Special Assistant for the Environment Economic Development Administration U.S. Department of Comnerce Washington, D.C. 20230 Dear Mr.

Hansel: On April 18, 1978, ve received your concurrence to the additional condition for the Westfield City Hall, Westrield, Massachusetts. A copy of that letter is enclosed. As you agree to this condition, the Executive Director does not object to your determination of no adverse effect. You should include a copy of this correspondence in any environmental assessment or statement as evidence of your compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470f, as amended, 90 Stat. 1320). Thank you for your prompt reply. Sincerely yours, Myra F.

Harrison Assistant Director Office of Review and Compliance Enclosure The Council is an independent unit of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government charged by tbe Act of PH0504122 NATIONAL REGISTER DATA SHEEL DNAME as it appears on federal register: 2 OTHER NAMES: 3) date of entry: county code: Westfield Municipal Building State Normal School MAR 8 1978 13 5 LOCATION street & number city I town vieinity of state county 6)NPS REGION: 59 Court St. Westfield MA Hampden NA OWNER -PRIVATE CSTATE IX MUNICIPAL OCOUNTY MULTiPLE CFEDERAL(agency name) BADMINISTRATOR:- (9) EXISTING SURVEYS [HABS CHAER ONHI (10) FUNDED? OYES -NO CONGRESS. DISTRICT 1st 12)SOURCE of NOMINATION XSTATE CFEDERAL if state who prepared form? OWITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORID BISTRICT!

STONIC ACREAGE LAME Le N0 CHO 1 OLOCAL -PRIVATE ORGANIZATION CONDITION O deteriorated Daltered Ooriginal site features: OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 ~OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT- 2 2OSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 3 Dexeellent Oruins Ogood Ounexposed Dunaltered Omoved §ONOT INTACT -O 2m NOT INTACT-O 2 ONOT INTACT - O Oreconstructed Ounknown WDUNKNOWN-4 WOUNKNOWN-5 SOUNKNOWN-6 Jfair Ounexcavated Oexcavated ZONOT APPLICABLE-7 *O NOT APPLICABLE-8 ZONOT APPLICABLE - 9 BACCESS OYES-Restricted DYES - Unrestricted - No Access - Unknown 19) ADAPTIVE USE CYES OONO] SAVED? DYES IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT?

Oyes Onol - AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : CENGINEERING-11 - LANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 - POLITICS / GOVT." 21 -RECREATION -28 @CLAIMS: explain "first'D -ARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric-2 -COMMERCE - 6 -ENTERTAINMENT-26 - LAW- 16 - RELIGION- 22 C SETTLEMENT-29 -ARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS -7 CEXPLORATION -12 - LITERATURE- 17 - SCIENCE- 23 CURBAN PLANMING-31 'oldest' O -AGRICULTURE-3 - CONSERVATION - 8 -HEALTH-27 - MILITARY- 18 - SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN-24 -OTHER (SPECIFY) - ARCHITECTURE-4 - ECONOMICS- 9 C INDUSTRY - 13 - MUSIC - 19 - SOCIAL / CULTURAL-30 'only' D - ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 - INVENTION - 14 - PHILOSOPHY - 20 - TRANSPORTATION -25 2functions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: CURRENTLY: 2 architectural style(s): @dates of initial construction: major alterations : historic events: ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION architeet: master builder: aengineer: -landscape architect / garden designer: ") interior decorator: artist: Bartisan: @bullder/contractor: ®NAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS : INSTITUTIONAL: NATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP reviewers initials.

date. MIF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSEE