Nomination for Essex Company Offices and Yard

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

No. 10-300 UNITEDSTATES DEDARTAENOOIEET INTERIOR (Rev. 10-74) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM PHO628953 FOR NPS USE ONLY MAR 12 1319 RECEIVED APR 2 6 1979 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 1 NAME HISTORIC Essex Company Offices and Yard AND/OR COMMON Same LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 6 Essex Street CITY.

TOWN Lawrence STATE 3 Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY *DISTRICT BUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE SITE .OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC XPRIVATE PUBLIC ACQUISITION _IN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED - VICINITY OF CODE 025 STATUS XOCCUPIED -UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED -NO NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Fifth COUNTY Essex CODE 009 PRESENT USE -AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM -COMMERCIAL _PARK _EDUCATIONAL -PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS -GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC -INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATION -MILITARY XOTHER: offices 4 OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Essex Company STREET & NUMBER 6 Essex Street CITY.TOWN Lawrence _ VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC. Essex County North Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER STATE Massachusetts 381 Common Street CITY.

TOWN STATE Massachusetts Lawrence REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth #9 DATE 1978 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS Massachusetts Historical Conmission CITY. TOWN _FEDERAL XSTATE _COUNTY LOCAL Boston STATE Massachusetts 7-DESCRIPTION CONDITION XEXCELLENT _GOOD -FAIR -DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE XUNALTERED ALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE. DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Essex Company Offices and Yard are located in downtown Lawrence at the corner of Essex Street, the main commercial thoroughfare, and Union Street. The property is bounded to the north by Essex Street, to the east by Union Street, to the south by an alleyway, and to the west by a commercial structure. The site encompasses an office building (#1) fronting on Essex Street and four other structures located along the alleyway. These include a carpenter's shop (#2) and the following three structures which adjoin each other: a foundry (#3), gaxage (#4), and storage building (#5). All of the above buildings are of red brick and timber construction, and date from 1883-84. Together they form a cohesive group of uniform design, an adaptation of late nineteenth centúry industrial architecture.

The sturdy and somewhat austere ..; buildings were constructed according to the'plans of Hiram Mills, chief engineer for the Essex Company,'and widely known 'as an expert in mill and hydraulic engineering. His design has' r'emained virtuälly unaltered. 'Even the original uses of the individual buildings have not changed. In addition to the above structures, there is a one story wooden storage shed (#8) on the northeast corner of the property and two lean-to sheds (#6 and #7) along the Essex Street property line. These were all added later in the 1880's. Now used for covered parking, the lean-to sheds originally sheltered carriages and possibly horses. These sheds are divided into a series of bays by supporting cast-iron tuscan columns. The yardsitself is partially paved with stone; another portion has been paved with concrete and the remainder is covered with lawn.

A red brick wall, erected at the same time as the bricksstructures,'encioses the entire site except along the frontage of the office building, along the frontage of the four outbuildings on the alleyway, and älong"the firewall of the adjoining commercial structure to, the west of the Essex Company Property. The Office Building is a simple rectangular plan, two story structure withaa basement and flat roof. Executed in pressed red brick, the building is trimmed with gray granite window and door sills and lintels. d 1intels.Aw A water table sets the first story off from the basement, and the second story off from the first. The corners of the fixst, the comere of thesox building are emphasized by shallow brick pilasters as is the main entrance on Essex A pilaster also divides the west elevation, while the east elevation is articulated by the projection of two of its fiveybays.

The 4-bay facade has an off-center doorway with granite steps leading up to it. There is a secondary en- trance on the west side of the building. Windows all have 2/2 sash although second story fenestration is slightly larger than that of the first story. The most prominent feature of the building is the wide ornamental corbelled cornice crowning the building. A bank of recessed brick patterning below the corbelling contributes to the decorative treatment. The edge of the roof is protected withccopper coping. Rising above the building are two corbelled chimneys. The interior of the Essex Company Office Building is of special

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

significance because it has remained virtually unaltered since the time of its completion. Woodwork, furnishings both built-in and free-standing, fireplaces and even wall decor date from the nineteenth century. The desk used by Charles Storrow, Essex Company engineer, Form No. 10-300a (Hev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENTOF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED MAR 1 2 1979 DATE ENTERED 26 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 2 It is anticipated that within the near future, the Essex Company will sell all of its property as well as its control over the canals and dam. The prospective buyer has expressed an interest in preserving the original character of the Essex Company offices and yard. :..0: "... ....

8 SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD _PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 -1500-1599 - 1600-1699 -1700-1799 X 1800-1899 -1900- ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE X ARCHITECTURE ART _COMMERCE _COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW _COMMUNITY PLANNING _LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _CONSERVATION -LAW _ECONOMICS _LITERATURE _EDUCATION _MILITARY XENGINEERING _MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY X INDUSTRY -POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION -RELIGION _SCIENCE SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER _TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1883-1884 BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT Hiram Mills STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Essex Company Offices and Yard retain integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association and are of outstanding significance to the City of Lawrence because of the role which the company played in the de-. velopment of that city. The Essex: Company was formed in 1845 by a group of well- known Boston manufacturers and financiers for the purpose of building a planned community around the textile industry as they had done in Lowell. These men included Abbott and Samuel Lawrence, John Amory Lowell, Charles Storrow, Nathan Appleton, William Sturgis and Patrick Jackson. Surveys of the area around the Merrimack River below Lowell revealed that the Bodwell's falls site would be the most suitable for their plans. Control of these falls was acquired along with the surrounding farmland.

Charles Storrow, trained as an engineer and acting as treasurer and agent for the Essex Company, designed the grid plan for the new manufacturing community which included a large common at its center:(potential NR). The Town of Lawrence was officially founded in 1847 and was named for the Lawrence brothers who were the principal stockholders of the Essex Company. With one million dollars in capital the company had by 1848 con-... structed the Great Stone Dam(NR), the locks and canals (NR), a machine shop (NR) and tenements for its mechanics. They were also instrumental in the formation of numerous corporations for whom large mills were constructed along the canal. These mills which included the Atlantic Mills, the Pacific Mills, the Pemberton Mills, and the Duck Mills, while not owned by the Essex Company remained in close association as their boards of directors invariably interlocked.

The Essex Company also constructed boarding houses for the employees of these mills. Fragments of e gmex Company these structures remain, but in a greatly altered and/or expanded state. The Essex Street Offices and Yard were constructed in 1883-84 when expanded operations forced removal of management functions from the old Machine Shop across the street. They were designed by Hiram Mills, chief engineer of the Company, and widely known as an expert in mill and hydraulic engineering. Physically they have remained almost entirely unaltered and not only have they remained in con- tinuous use since their construction in 1883-84 to the present, but they have also retained their original functions Together, the buildings are a practically unaltered historical and architectural exhibit of the Essex Company.

Supervision of the canals and dam is still carried out from the office building, tools are still made in the carpenters shop, the forge is in operation and the original molds for machine parts are still kept in the storage building. Although the Merrimack Valley Textile Museum in Andover, Massa- chusetts has added many of the Essex Company records to its collection, there are an abundance of early plans, maps, ledgers, etc. in the Essex Company Office Building.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Lawrence Up-to-Date 1845-1895, Rushforth and Donohue Co., Lawrence, Mass. Essex Company Plans and Records, Essex Company Offices 1895 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA uen thia ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY. c. 16,875 sq. ft. UTM REFERENCES A1,9 312,351810 ZONE EASTING L413034d NORTHING BLL EASTING NORTHING NORTHING -e LLe LLiLu VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION The property is bounded on the north for 225 feet by Essex Street, on the east for 75 feet by Union Street, on the south for 225 feet by an alley, and on the west for 75 feet by a commercial structure. Please also refer to the attached map on which the boundaries are deliniated in red.

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 Candace Jenkins, National Register Coordinator ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 294 Washington Street CITY OR TOWN Boston Christine Pfaff City of Lawrence DATE January 1979 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 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 Palum R. Weslowski 3/179 TITLE Exec. Director, Mass. Historical Conmission FOR NPS USE ONLY 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DIRECTOR, OF ATTEST: Chank GtTON FESTAAMON PICE OFARCHEOL KCEPER OFTH REGIST DATE DATE 7:24-79 KHOPER THE XAT YONAT FUCIST DATE 24/79 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 ONLY RECEIVED DATE ENTERED MAR 12 1979 APR 2 6 1979 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 7 PAGE 2 treasurer and agent, and also responsible for the layout of the City, is still in place withhhis name on it. Because the building still serves as the Essex Company Offices, an abundance of early records, plans, ledgers, instruments, etc. are kept here.

Although strictly utilitarian, the structures along the alley have corbelled cornices, granite trimming and copper roof coping matching the decorative treatment of the office building. Closest in appearance and proximity to the latter structure is the Carpenter's Shop (#2), constructed of pressed brick. This is a two story rectangular plan building with a base- ment and flat roof. As in the office structure, a water table marks the division be- tween the basement and first floor, and between the first and second floors. The three bay symmetrical facade has a large double-door center entrance approached by three granite steps. Windows, on front, sides and rear elevations are regularly spaced and have 12/12 lights. A corbelled chimney rises above the roofline. Inside the building, there is one large room on each floor.

The building is still in use as a carpenter's shop with a large accumulation of tools and machinery that have been used for years. To the west of the Carpenters Shop is the small one story, flat-roofed foundry (#3) whose west wall abuts the garage. The square plan building has a three bay front with a center entrance flanked by 6/6 sash windows. There is one window on the east elevation and a small window on the south or rear elevation. A small square cupola above the forge serves as a vent. The garage (#4) is a two story flat-roof building abutting the foundry on the east and the storage building on the west. Common rather than pressed brick was used in its construction. The front has two large double doors with a small window between them. Directly above one entrance is a smaller opening to allow for hoisting materials (presumably originally hay) up to the second floor.

The rear elevation facing the alleyway is punctured only by two small narrow windows. The Storage Building (#5), which occupies the southwest corner of the Essex Company property, is a two story structure with a flat roof and basement.. It is constructed of pressed red brick. The front or east elevation is symmetrical and four bays wide. The first floor has a wide entrance at either end with two windows in between. The second floor contains four regularly spaced windows with 6/6 sash.. Both the north and south elevations feature four narrow windows on the second floor. The west elevation is bounded by the firewall of the adjoining commercial structure. On the interior there is one large room on the first and second floors. Equipment, including the original die molds for gate house machinery, is stored here.

The brick fence enclosing the complex is embellished with shallow strip pilasters and corbelling, to match the decorative treatment of the buildings. In the 1890's, the fence was capped with lead and in 1915 an iron fence was installed along the office building's frontage. The latter fence was removed in'1948 although four stone slabs still in place in the ground indicate where it was located. ind fene vare D jond = Essex Company and Yard Lawrence, Massachusetts 1"=100' Sanborn Map -mmmnà ,118 BARERY PARK'G (C8 Br F oNe 5. - n! a 1237 22 MUrg COMMON est CLU. ESSEX drems OREHOLSEBAKING CO WHOd BAKERY 2sree -2118 HARRIS BLOB. 5/ 126 gno.0.PIPT. MILL 6/ METHUEN ARSaA$2$ OFFICES PARK'G Uh NEWBURY 5 /" FILLG STA. TIRE SÂLES RECEIVED MAR 1 2 1979 NATIONAL REGIST RPT3 1e PaLrs THE EssE APR 2 6 1979 property Esset Compang Officer and Yyanh state Mass. (Excel Workong Number3.

12.29.499 TECHNICAL Photos CONTROL Maps 0K3.73.79 sigupicant for associations wich the Essex Compan HISTORIAN as important ffot in the develapmes Accept f Laurence. Cadlectiae of buuldisgs idtee vix tradly aightree unaltered. 4-20-79 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Ma PontA 4/24/19 BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 6-5-19 Send-back Re-submit Entered APR 26 1979 United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Essex Company Offices and Yard Lawrence, Massachusett. William Finch 1978 EssEx Co fice Building coshiers koon Community Development Dept., City Hall Lawrence, Mass. APR 2 6 1979 Photo #6 Cashiers room,Essex Company Office Bldg.

MAR 1 2 1979 Essex Company Offices and Yard Essexofice sulding; Enqincers poc Lawrence, Massachusetts APR 2 6 1979 William Finch 1978 Community Development Dept., City Hall Lawrence, Mass. MAR 1 2 1979 Photo #7 Engineers room, Essex Company Office Bldg. Missing Core Documentation Property Name Essex Company Offices and Yard Essex, County, State Massachusetts Reference Number 79000330 The following Core Documentation is missing from this entry: Nomination Form - X Photographs (#1-5) _USGS Map PAUL GUZZI Jerilary of the Commonnialth The Commonwealth of Massachusetls Cffice of the Secrelary Massachusells Historical Commission 291 Hashinglon Ired Boston, Massachusells 02/08 (617)727-8470 PROPOSED NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION NOTIFICATION TO OWNER DATE: November 28, 1978 RECENED TO: Essex Company DEC 6 1978 ADDRESS: 6 Essex Street, Lawrence MASS. HIST. COMM.

FROM: MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION SUBJECT: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES RECEIVED THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY: NAME: Essex Company Offices & Yard MAR 1 2 1979 ADDRESS: 6 Essex Street NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATED BY: Lawrence Community Development Department is being considered by the Massachusetts Historical Conmission for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register affords recognition and protection for districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects significant in American History, architecture, archeology and culture. Listing in the National Register places no restrictions on the owner's actions unless Federal funding or licensing is involved. However, certain Federal Tax consequences may result from listing in the National Register.

Please refer to section 2124 of the Tax Reform Act of 1976 for an explanation of these provisions. Please acknowledge receipt of this notification by signing below and returning this form to Candace Jenkins, National Register Coordinator, Massachusetts Historical Commission at the address above. The State Review Board will not consider this nomination until we receive your conments or thirty days have passed from the date of notification. Written comments on the significance of this property are encouraged and may be attached to this , form. Signature / 1m.

KllysitF 12/5/75 2/2/77 The Commonwealik of Massachuselts Office of the Secrelary Massachusells Historical Commission PAUL GUZZI Jerritary of the Commonnralth 291 Mashinglon Iree Beslon, Massachusells 02708 (617) 727-8470 NOTIFICATION OF PROPOSED NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIOND HISTORICAL COMMISSION DATE: November 28, 1978 MAR 1 2 1979 212829303772 NOY1978 E352 TO: Community Development Department NATIONAL REGISTER LAVAR.L ADDRESS: City Hall, Lawrence FROM: MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION SUBJECT: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY: NAME: Essex Company Offices & Yard ADDRESS: 6 Essex Street OWNER: Essex Company is being considered by the Massachusetts Historical Comnission for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

The National Register affords recognition and protection for districts, sites, bulldings, structures and objects significant in American History, architecture, archeology and culture. Listing in the National Register places no restrictions on the owner's actions unless Federal funding or licensing is involved. However, certain Federal tax consequences may result from listing in the National Register. -Please refer to section 2124 of the Tax Reform Act of 1976 for an explanation of these provisions. Please comment below, sign, and return this form at your earliest convenience to Candace Jenkins, National Register Coordinator, Massachusetts Historical Commission at the above address. To facilitate action on this nomination, we would appreciate your response within thirty days. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Jenkins at the Commission office.

Approve nomination Disapprove nomination Comment Name and Pitle hadshaw bate 12:21-78 Udministrsta, ommuity C 8 Lemite Petpmeet Dpt ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered APR 26 1979 Name Essex Company Offices and Yard Location Lawrence Essex County Also Notified Honorable Paul G. Isongas Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable James M. Shannon State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia L. Weslowski Ixecutive Director Massachusetts Ilistorical Conmission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 NR Byers/bjr 5/2/79 For further information, please call the National Register at (202)343-6401.