Nomination for St. Mary's Church and Cemetery

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

FHR-8-300 (11-78) United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms Type all entries - complete applicable sections rel no 1. Name For HCRS use only received FEB 8 1980 .. date entered APR 16 1980 80000637 historic St. Mary's Church and Cemetery and/or common same 2. Location street & number 258 Concord St., Newton Lower Falls city, town Newton - vicinity of not for publication congressional district 4th state Massachusetts code 025 3.

Classification Category Ownership _ district - public * building(s) private _structure both site Public Acquisition object in process being considered county Middlesex code 017 Status .occupied unoccupied work in progress Accessible - yes: restricted x yes: unrestricted no Present Use agriculture commercial educational entertainment government industrial millitary _ museum _ park private residence X religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name The Episcopal Society of St. Mary's street & number 258 Concord St., Newton Lower Falls city, town Newton - vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. South Middlesex Courhouse street & number 40 Thorndike St. city, town East Cambridge state Massachusetts 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets title of the Commonwealth #131 has this property been determined elegible? yes V no date 1974 _ federal X state - county - local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Conmission city, tr Boston state Mass. 7. Description Condition X excellent - good fair . deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one xunaltered _altered Check one X original site _moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

St. Mary's Church and Cemetery are located in Newton Lower Falls, at the northeast corner of Concord and Washington Streets. In addition to the Church and Cemetery, the property included in this nomination contains a Parish House (1941) and Rectory (1946) both of which have been designed to harmonize with the church, although neither contributes to the property's historical significance. St. Mary's Church is a rectangular plan structure which rests on a brick foundation, is covered with clapboards, and is enclosed by a pitched roof, now covered with asphalt. The building is trimmed with plain corner boards and a wide frieze and cornice which extend around the entire building. The church's facade faces Concord Street (west) and has a projecting central pavilion surmounted by a square plan tower.

The facade of the pavilion is covered with matched boarding and is symmetrically arranged, having two 1den- tical entries flanking a high central window. Each entry consists of a door of six sunken panels, and pointed arch transom, set in a surround which is trimmed by pilasters with trefoil-headed panels, supporting an ogee pointed arch with elongated trefoil panels; at the point of each arch and above each pilaster are engaged finials. Centered Von the facade and breaking the cornice which forms the pavilion's pediment is an arched window made up of paired 12/12 sash surmounted by two interlaced lights. This window is surrounded by an ogee frame with raised panels and an engaged finial. Sidewalls of the pavilion (north and south) each contain a single, narrow arched window..

Flanking the pavilion, the west elevation of the church's main body contains a single arched window (28/28 sash) on each side of the pavilion. Rising from the pavilion is the tower, each face of which contains a louvred oculus. The tower rises to a landing which is enclosed by a wooden railing set into wooden corner posts with urn finials. Rising from the landing is a square-plan bell tower each face of which contains an arched opening, blocked by louvres. Doric pilasters support an entablature decorated by tri- glyphs and mutules., cThe bell toweriand railing-were designed and re-built in 1954. The church's north elevation contains five arched windows :(28/28sash) ;- each with a semi- circular transom and louvred blinds. These windows are evenly spaced.

The church's south elevation is essentially identical to that of the north elevation, except that the parish house is attached to its east end. The church's east (rear) elevation is asymmetrically arranged and contains elements from several additions carried out between 1892 and 1941 to enlarge the sacristy and chancel. The Parish House is attached to the Church's southeast corner and is made up of three sections, all ofwhich rest on concrete foundations and are enclosed by pitched roof. Thelongest is the centralsection, a one-story structure with a symmetrical facade (west) containing five 16/16 windows with louvred blinds. This central section contains the parish hall and is flanked by two smaller wings with lower roofs.

The north wing which connects the Parish Hall to the church has a shallow off-center pavilion containing paired doors with a semi-circular fanlight and two 4/4 windows. North of this shallow pavilion is one 12/12 window; south of it are two 12/12 windows, all with louvred blinds. The south wing has a pedimented facade containing double doors surmounted by a fanlight and flankedby two 4/4 windows. St. Mary's Cemetery is located northeast of the Church. The earliest headstones in the cemetery date trom 1013. In 1845, the cemetery was laid out in its present plan of paths and plots. Asthenortheast corner of the cemetery is a one-story, clapboard-covered shed, believed to have been built by John Pulcifer for the storage of a hearse in 1838.

FHR-8-300A (11/78) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE NATIONAL KEGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACE NVENTORY .- NOMINATION FORM FOR HCRS USE ONLY RECEIVED 4/14/80 DATE ENTERED APR1 61990 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 7 PAGE St. Mary's Church and Cemetary The Rectory was built in 1946, at the south end of the large lot and at right angles to the parish house, creating an open quadrangle. It is designed in a neo-garrison style, sheathed with clapboards and enclosed by a hipped roof. It has a five bay facade with double hung shuttered windows at the second and groups of three casement windows on either side of the center entry at the first story.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Period prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 1800-1899 1900 Areas of Significance-Check and justify below -archeology-prehistoric _ community planning archeology-historic conservation - agriculture _ economics _ architecture - education _art engineering commerce exploration/settlement _communications _ industry invention landscape architecture_X religion law literature _ military _ music - philosophy - politics/government _ science _ sculpture _ social/ humanitarian - theater _transportation - other (specify) Specific dates 1941; 1954 1813-1814; 1838; 1892; Builder

Statement of significance

/Architect Unknown Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) St. Mary's Church possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials and historical associations to the early industrial development of Newton Lower FallsIt is the oldest extant church building in Newton and architecturally is an interesting example of a Federal church remodeled with Gothic detail. Occupying its original lot, adjacent to the congregation's burial ground, st. Mary's was originally built as a Federalist style church in 1813-1814. Elements of the original design which remain are the building's plan, arched windows, lancet windows, sunken panel doors and oculi. In 1838, the building was extensively remodelled in Gothic taste. At this time, the Church's east end was extended 16', Gothic door and window trim was added to the facade and the central pavilion may have been re-covered with matched boarding.

At the same time, the bell tower was rebuilt with Gothic trim and a gallery was constructed on the church's interior. In 1892, the chancel and sacristy (east elevation) were enlarged and in 1941 they were connected to the new Parish Hall. In 1954, the Gothic bell tower was rebuilt to a new-Federalist plan which was intended to approximate the original tower. At present, the building's exterior retains important elements of its original Federalist and later Gothic Revival style designs. The first Episcopalian Church to be organized west of Boston after the Revolutionary War, St. Mary's began as a mission church which received heavy support from Samuel Brown, Esq.

Brown, a wealthy Boston merchant, founded one of several early paper mills in Newton Lower Falls, in an apparent effort to invest money which could no longer be invested in trade due to the Embargo Act and War of 1812 which cut off overseas trade. In 1813, Brown puxchased the site of St. Mary's and its cemetary, which was loeated near his mill in the same year. Brown donated both the land and money to build the church. In addition to Brown, many of the church's early members were associated with Newton Lower Falls' eight pre-1815 paper mills. Among the more prominent members.of the con- gregationwere Solomon Curtis and four of his nine sons, all of whom were paper manu- facturers. 9. Major Bib iographical References mms. Sketch of the History of St. Mary's Church, Newton Lower Falls, by Reverend B.F. DeCosta, Rector from 1859-1860. Charlestown, Mass., 1863.

(Original in Church Registrar of the Diocese of Mass., I Joy st., Boston.) mms. History of St. Mary's Church, William H. Hollis, Wellesley. c. 1950. 100 Years of Papermaking, CIarence A. Wiswall & Eleanor Boit Crafts; Reading, Mass.,1938.

The rest of the file

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

Geographical Data UIM NOT VERIFIEN (continued) Acreage of nominated property 2 acres Quadrangle name Natick AGREAGE NOT VERIFIE uadrangie scalo. 1:24000 UMT References A |1,9/ |3|1/3|9,10/ Zone Easting LL 1416/818/21610 Northing LLL JLILLL Zone Easting Northing DLLJ LULLL EL LiiLu HLU LLIL Verbal boundary description and justification Please refer to the attached assessor's map. The boundary is 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 Elsie M. Husher Newton Historical Commission nameitle Brian Pfeiffer, Consultant with organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date November 1979 street & number 294 Washington St. telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town Boston, 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 Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service. State Historic Preservation Ofticer signature Jaluue RWeslowski 1/22/80 title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission date For HCRS use only 1 hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Man Douge date Keeper of the National Register Attest: Vatuck Anduus 66,0110 $/16/80 dato 4/4/80 Chiefof Registration GP O 938 835 Ns-de Property State St. Mozis.

Ckunch and cemeteny Ma-Middley Working Number 2-8-80 437 TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos _ /t/ Maps This chuuch is etigible for architective as an interesting example of tederalist HISTORIAN style architectune that was remodeled with Gothic detail Buitt in 813-11 ao a accept tradition tederal stele building, the chuuch was altered with Gothie detael in 1858. dncluded Patrick Andues inthe pomipalon ave a Paish houde (1941) and Pecer, (NH6)- neither contribute to tho historie haraite s 4/14/80 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BRANCH CHIEF KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 2.3.81 Send-back Re-submit Entered APR 161900 United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service St. Mary's Church 258 Concord St. Newton hower Falls, Mass 02181 St. Mary's Church and Cemetery 258 Concord St.

Newton Lower Falls Newton, Mass. 02181 Robert W. Chalue 1978 St. Mary's Church Middlenkca. APR | 6 1980 Photo #1 of 2 West & north facades of church, west facade of parish house. FEB 8 1980 0c71978 ST MARY's cmußeH anl cemety CONCORO ST NECUTON LOWER FALCS "milleesexco REcTory -pnnat S 2032 ÁPR 1 6 1980 1. CALL D TO: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE TELEPHONE REPORT FROM (Neme) 2. DATE 4/8/80 TIME OF CALL AM PM ADDRESS (Tel. No. if needed) MA. SHPO Candy Venkins 3. SUBJECT, PROJECT NO., ETC. ST. Mauys Chuuch and Cemetery - Middlesex county, Mass 4. DETAILS OF DISCUSSION a requested that she sand a ficlure and a descrupten f the rectoy that appears on the map.

4/14/80 both have arrued NAME OF PERSON PLACING/RECEIVING CALL trich Anduus TITLE OFFICE FHR-8-227 June 1978 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered APR 1 6 1980 Name Location Garrison, Wllliam Lloyd, School Boston Suffolk County St. Mary's Church and Cemetery Newton Middlesex County Also Notified Honorable Paul Tsongas Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable John J. Moakley Honorable Robert F. Drínan State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia L. Weslowsk1 Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Comnission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Byers/bjr 4/22/80 For further information, please call the National Register at (202) 343-6401.