Nomination for Point Allerton Lifesaving Station

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 1. Name For HCRS use only received MAY 11 1981 date entered JUN | | 1981 historic Point Allerton Lifesaving Station and/or common 0ld Point Allerton Coast Guard Station 2. Location street & number Nantasket Avenue at Spring Street not for publication city, town Hull vicinity of congressional district 12th state Massachusetts 3. Classification code 025 county Plymouth code 023 Category - district _ building(s) structure site object Ownership X public - private both Public Acquisition in process being considered Status - occupied X unoccupied work in progress Accessible X.

yes: restricted yes: unrestricted no Present Use - agriculture _ commercial educational entertainment government - industrial military museum park private residence religious scientific transportation X other: VACANT 4. Owner of Property name Town of Hull street & number Municipal Building city, town Hull vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Plymouth County Registry of Deeds street & number Russell Street city, town Plymouth 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth title has this property been determined elegible? state Massachusetts 03361 X - yes no date 1976 federal X state county _ local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission city, town Boston state M= ssachusetts 7.

Description Condition _excellent X good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered X altered Check one X original site - moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Point Allerton Life Saving Station is situated in its original location on Stony Beach at the entrance to Boston Harbor and at the foot of Telegraph Hill in Hull. It occupies a 7500 square foot lot on the south side of Nantasket Avenue; the property also includes another 3040 square feet of waterfront acreage across the Avenue. Neigh- boring properties include homes that have been or still are occupied by surfmen who served at the Station. At the top of Telegraph Hill is the Fort Revere National Register district which includes a Revolutionary War fort, telegraph signal stations, and the World War I era Fort Revere. The Station and Fort Revere 1ook out toward Boston Light (NR), the oldest lighthouse in the country.. The Station is a 1½ story Queen Anne style structure with a latter two story rear ell attached to its southeast corner.

The walls are sheathed with clapboards while the roof is covered with cedar shingles. It rests on a modern poured concrete foundation and all windows are currently boarded up. size and placement. A small one story outbuilding with a gable roof stands directly behind the ell. The original portion of the station, constructed in 1889, is rectangular in plan and consists of two sections. The eastern section which contains kitchen, living and dining quarters, is enclosed by a pitched roof and faces gable end to the street. A center chimney rises through its ridge and two hip roof dormer pierce the eastern slope of its roof. The main entry is located west of center. The western section, which orignally functioned as a boat room, is enclosed by a hip roof whose front slope is pierced by a latter oversized dormer.

This fairly simple mass was complicated by a series of later additions, the most prom- inent of which is the rear ell, built to house the station chief. It is enclosed by a jerkin head gable roof with hip roof dormers on its eastern and western slopes. A chimney rises through the roof ridge and an entry is located on its north elevation. Other additions include shed roof porches attached to the north elevations of both the orignal structure and ell, a small one story pitched roof office at northeast corner of the original station and fire escapes on its rear 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 SignificanceCheck and justify below - archeology-prehistoric community planning archeology-historic conservation agriculture economics architecture education art engineering commerce exploration/settlement communications industry invention landscape architecture law . literature - military music philosophy politics/government _ religion science - sculpture - social/ humanitarian theater transportation X other (specify MARITIM Specific dates 1889 Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Builder/Architect U.S. Corps of Engineers The Point Allerton Lite Saving Station possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship. It is significant both for the central role it has played in Massachusetts maritime history and for its associations with Captain Joshua James, its first keeper and the most decorated life saver in United States history. The Station therefore meets criteria A and B of the National Register of Historic Places. The United States decided toestablish a Life Saving Service station at Point Allerton after Joshua James and his crew rescued 29 persons from four vessels wrecked in the shipping entrance to Boston Harbor during the great storm of November, 1888. the holder of the gold life saving medal of the U.S. Treasury Deparmtent and the gold, silver, and bronze medals of the Massachusetts Humane Society.

Appointed Keeper at the age of 62, Capt. James received the only waiver of the Keeper's age requirements given by the U.S. Congress. Between 1890 and his death in 1902, Capt. James and his crews rescued people from eighty-six shipwrecks which occurred within the jurisdiction of the Point Allerton Station. There were 556 persons on board these vessels. Only 16 of these lost their lives, and they were all lost in the terrible storm of November, 1898, under circumstances which placed them beyond human aid and which precluded even an attempt to assist them. The Station is also significant as a link between the earliest days of U.S. Lifesaving and current U.S. Lifesaving activity. At the time it was built, the Point Allerton Life Saving Station replaced the exisitng small station that had been established by the Massachusetts Humane Society prior to 1874.

The new station was located not far trom the first lifeboat station built by the Society in 1807, near the Hull-Cohasset line. The Massachsuetts Humane Society, established in 1785, was the third oldest life saving society in the world. After Joshua James' death, the Station continued in service as one of the most active on the East Coast. It was replaced in the late 1960's by the nearby new Point Allerton Coast Guard Station which carries on its humanitarian traditions as one of the busiest Coast Guard Stations in the country. Although no longer in use, the Old Point Allerton Station is significant as one of the oldest remaining lifesaving stations in the state. lifesaving stations of which only eleven remain. The Point Allerton Station was built according to an architectural plan that was being used at that time.

There are only two stations left that are older than Point Allerton, both of which have been converted to homes. Iwo of the remaining stations have been restored and opened to the public, one by the National Park Service and one as a hostel. Of the others, two are still owned by the Coast Guard, three are private homes, and one is a restaurant-lounge.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References U.S. Lite Saving Service Annual Reports, 1888, 1889, and 1890. Sumner I. Kimball, Joshua James, Beacon Press, Boston, 1909. "Joshua James, Celebrated Lifesaver of Hull, Mass." , U.S. Naval Institute, Annapolis, 1960. Richard Bonnisar, Interview, 1980. 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property - .24 acres (10,540 s.f.) Quadrangle name Hull UMT References Quadrangle scale - 1":25,000' A 19 Zone 3|4 33,8,0 Easting LLLL 4685250 Northing LILL LLLL B ELL GLL Zone Easting Northing buLLiluj LiLiLul FLIJ LLILA LILILEL Ly LaLrd DlL Verbal boundary description and justification Please refer to the attached map. List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state code county code State code county code 11.

Form Prepared By Community Development name/title Candace Jenkins, Registration Director, with Judeth Wiers, Senior Planner, Office of organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date February, 1981. street & number 294 Washington Street telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town Boston Massachusetts state 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 andprocedures set forth bythe Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.

State Historic Preservation Officer signature atuu RWeslowsk title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission date 5/1/8 For HCRS use only I nereby certry that this property is included in the National hegister deloua Intered in the National Register date forKeeper or the National Ragistei Attest: date Chief of Registration 6.11.81 GPO 938 835 BATH CLOS -19°-5"' CL BEDROOM BEDROOM SECOND FLOOR -35'-7" CLOS CLOS BEDROOM CLOS CLOS CLOS 47'-0" BEDROOM.

BEDROOM BATH CLOS CLOS NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES SKETCH PLAN Name: Point Allerton Lifesaving Station Also known as 0ld Point Allerton Coast Guard Statior Location: Hull, Massachusetts Map Reference: Source: Judeth Wiers Scale: 1" = 10' Date: 1980 SCALE: 1" = 10° MAY 11 1981 JUN / | 1981 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PANTRY DINING ROOM LIVING ROOM ACTIVITY ROOM -26'-0" USGS MAP Name: Point Allerton Lifesaving Station Also known as Old Point Allerton Coast Guard Station EXISTING LIFE SAVING STATION FIRST FLOOR Location: Hull, Massachusetts 24'-2" Map Reference: Source: USGS, Hull, MA quadrangle Scale: 1:25,000 Date: 1971 - 35°-7" ACTIVITY ROOM (FORMERLY BOAT ROOM) CLOS KITCHEN 57'-5" OFFICE ACTIVITY ROOM (FORMERLY CHIEF'S QUARTERS) Chief's quarters, office, and front porch added between 1902 and 1945.

SCALE: 1" = 10° MAY 11 1981 JUN | I 1981 DUE 6/10/81 - 6/25/81 Name Poent Allerton State, CountymA Working Number 5./1.81.15 V Nomination _ Determination of Eligiblity On Nomination Form Lipesaue lyoud talin dnr-3 Fed Nom or Request-Agency Federal Register Date Bidg(s) Within: Site Multiple Resource Area - Object - Thematic Grour - Structure Maps L! District Photos 2 Nomimation prepared by: 1 State Staff - Local Other - Intered In the Action: National Register V ACCÉPT 6. /l.81 -RETURN _REJECT = Check if Appropriate: State Request ior Review - Keeper's Decision to Reviev - 2nd Return - I. Evaluation of Resource (cont. on back if necessary) II. Evaluation of Nomination Good Adequate Poor Comments 1. Descriptive Statement Short Format Yes No 2. Significance Statement Short Format Yes No 3. Concepts/Integrity 4. Concepts/Criteria 5. Concepts/Boundaries 6.

Contextual Evaluation General Comments (cont. on back if necessary): Reviewer/Date National Park Ser vice See Attached U.S. Department of the Interior Point Allerton Lifesaving Station' STATION Hull, Mass. MAY 11 1981 Judeth Weirs Hull Lifesaving Muselm | | 198| AND SRTERS Photo #1 of 2 Main building from northeast plymont County Point Allerton Lifesaving StationIN6 STATION Hull, Mass. MAY 1 1 1981 Judeth Wiers 1980 JUN | | 198k2OM NORTHEAST Hull Lifesaving Museum Photo #2 of 2 Outbuilding from northeast dymoddCoanty From the office of LEWIS W PERKINS EVOi December 1936 ."IVSHAM 4Ass STREET 50 5C 50 175 15.26 20zI SEE SHEET No 8 12900+ 5000 500m 5000 5000 5000 5000 7500 (32 5799 5300 008 2 i02s- 162* 50.

DUCK 314+ 77.55 102,85 51.4* 33 133.50 LANE 7500 1980- 3750 14+*4 T (SPRING LANE) 90.35 TOMN OF HULL 19230* 5450+ 5230 5215* PR/ 165* YENTE 0 - 4050+'1500 1500 .500 4500 4500 4050 1050 4050 $15El 50 30 50 PRIVAT ERATMONe, 45 64 63 62 60 *082) 2048* ( *0695 70599 *0909 2740 5874 5000 5000 83001 L- - 1200% 5000 10005 awruc 7500 12695* 3830 19 es 7815T AVENUE 16Rt 8940+ 291°% 97.65 TOWN OF HULL AOAD NANTASKET. 6750 *0ELz 50 PRIVA TNING 90.24f 135/9A 5215'

Date: 1936 and periodic updates 8 Name: Point Allerton Lifesaving Station Also known as 0ld Point Allerton Coast Guard Station Location: Hull, Massachusetts MAY 11 1981 Map Reference: Source: Hul] Assessor's Maps JUN | | 1981 Scale: 1"= 100' LANE TASKET DUCK HYHELL 2° 5400 AVENUE MAY 1 1 1981 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 617-727-8470 MICHAEL JOSEPH CONNOLLY Secretary of State May 4, 1981 Mr. Jerry Rogers, Acting Keeper Registration Branch Heritage, Conservation & Recreation Service DOI, W434 Washington D.C. 20243 Dear Mr. Rogers: Enclosed you will find the following nomination forms for publicly owned buildings: Barnstable-Barnstable County Cõurthouse (state) Fall River-B.M.C.

Durfee High School (local) Hull-Point Allerton Lifesaving Station (state) Lynn-Old Post Office (local) Weymouth-Fogg Library (local) All have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer. Sincerely, Canckae fenkins Candace Jenkins Registration pirector RECEIVEE MAT J 1 1981 NATIONAL REGISTER ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS JUN 11 1981 Date Entered Name Location Durfee, B. M. C., High School Pall River Bristol County Fogg Library Weymouth Norfolk County Barnstable County Courthouse Barnstable Barnstable County Point Allerton Lifesaving Station Hull Plymouth County Also Notified Honorable Paul E. Isongas Honorable Edvard M. Kennedy Honorable Margaret M. Heckler Honorable Gerry E. Studds Northeast Region, HCRS State Historie Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia L.

Weslowak1 Executive Director Massachusette Historical Connission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 TOY information, please call the National Register at (202)343-6401.