Nomination for Walpole Town Hall

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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 SEP 1 7 1981 date entered CT 8 1981 historic Walpole Town Hall same and/or common 2. Location street & number Main Street - not for publication city, towh Walpole ? 1 :vicinity.of state Massachusetts 3.

Classification Category Ownership _district X public X building(s) private structure both site Public Acquisition .object in process being considered code 025 congressional district: Nineth county "Norfoik 20r7e code 021 Status X occupied unoccupied work in progress Accessible X yes: restricted eyes; unrestrictedc; no Present Use agriculture museum commercial educational park private residence entertainment religious X government scientific +-industrial - transportation military other: 14722, 2000.2202-2 4. Owner of Property 2-i-02020 212 name Town of Walpole street & number ITown Hall, Main Street city, town walpole - vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description Norfolk Registry of Deeds state Massachusetts courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. street & number Carmon Street city, town Dedham state 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets of title the Commonwealth has this property been determined elegible? 1976 Massachusetts - yes X no date _ federal X state - county - _ local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Conmission city, town Boston stateMassachusetts 02108 7. Description Walpole Town Hall Condition X excellent - good fair .deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one X unaltered _altered Check one X original site - moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

Walpole Town Hall is a composite Victorian-style, brick structure sited on a slight rise at the intersection of Main and Stone Streets. The property contains approximately one-third acre of land in the midst of Walpole's cormercial district, just east of the original conmon. The ground plan of the building is a modified cruciform, with the largest wing at the rear, a perpendicular facade wing, and a 5-story tower centered on the front. The building rises from a granite base through two tall brick stories (three at the rear) to high hip roofs tiled with slate. The rectangular windows are typically paired, with square, glazed transoms and brownstone sills and lintels. A pattemed brick entablature ornaments the entire building, while decorative brick stringcourses articulate the front wing.

The symmetrical facade of the Town Hall is three bays across, with a 3-story frontispiece acting as the base for its center tower (rising to 70' above ground). Entrance is made through a one-story portico having paired Corinthian pilasters at the corners and a great brownstone arched opening leading to paired entry doors. This portico is crowned by a simple balustrade of vaguely classical design. The second and third floors of the tower -- separated by panelled brick spandrels -- each have a tripartite window with brownstone trim and glazed transoms. Rising above the main roofline are a fourth level with brick- enframed clock faces on three sides; a stylized cornice with patterned brickwork and bands of terracottarosettes; an open, wooden belfry; and a flaring steeple roof.

Narrow panelled chimneys surmount the side walls of this facade wing; these walls are otherwise articulated by single windows with glazed transoms on the first floor and panelled brick transoms on the The side elevations of Town Hall are virtually identical to each other, repeating the architectural motifs of the principal facade wing. Paired windows with glazed transoms form a rhythmic pattern on the sides of the rear wing, interrupted only by a triple window on the first floor of each side. tally arched windows and a full basement level. 222E- The interior of the building originally contained a central stair hall leading to police headquarters and jail cells in the basement, public spaces on the first floor, and balconied courtroom space on the second floor.

The original hammer beam and truss system of the second floor and much of the original wainscotting and doorways remain intact, although partitioning hasaltered the visual character of the first and second floors.

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 X 1900- Areas of Significance-Check and justify below archeology-prehistoric community planning _ landscape architecture archeology-historic conservation agriculture economics X architecture education art engineering commerce exploration/settlement communications industry - law literature military music philosophy X politics/government invention _ religion science sculpture social/ humanitarian theater transportation other (specify) Specific datesDedicated 9/25/1881 Builder

Statement of significance

/Architect J. Williams Beal, Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) J.W. Coburn, Builder Walpole Town Hall is a fine example of a late nineteenth century municipal building, and possesses integrity of location, design, materials, and setting. Town Hall is significant as the seat of town government and as the work of a regionally prominent architect, and thus meets criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places. Town Hall, constructed in 1880-81, was Walpole's first mmicipal structure-evidence of the civic pride generated by the steady prosperity of the town's paper and textile-support fact- ories. The building has served as the seat of town government since its construction, and until 1949 housed the District Court for Western Norfolk County.

Until the construction of a new Fire and Police Station in 1952, the Police Station and Lock-up were located in the base- ment of the Town Hall. The lot of land on which Town Hall was built was purchased from E.D. Clapp for $1800. The property may have potential as an archaeological site, as the Clapp Tavern stood on this site from about 1732 until it was demolished for construction of the Town Hall. The Building Conmittee for Town Hall included George Craig, a prominent local citizen of the day, and F.W. Bird, a local industrialist. J. Williams Beal, an architect well known in the Boston area, was selected to design the building: Beal was a graduate of MIT Schoo1 of Architecture and had been employed in the offices of Richard Morris Hunt and McKim, Mead & White before establishing his own firm in Boston. J.

William Beal and Sons was responsible for many public buildings and private residences in Walpole (including the Old Stone and Bird Schools, the DeRoma Residence, and Iewis Castle), as well as the County Jail and Hospital in Plymouth, the Executive Building and Clubhouse for Walk-Over Shoe Company in Brockton, and numerous schools and residences throughout the region. The architects early preference for eclecticism is clearly evident in the Town Hall. J.W. Coburn of Walpole was the contractor for the building, and the Howard Clock Company of Boston furnished the clocks in the tower. The total cost of constructing and furnishing the Town Hall was a modest $29,322.65. Walpole Town Hall is a notable example of late Victorian civic architecture. The simple composition is reminiscent oi school buildings of the period in its steepled tower, hip roofs, and rows of simple paired windows.

The classically-influenced design of the main structure is well-balanced and restrained, and focuses on the more decorative tower, with its eclectic Romanesque and classical motifs. Current plans for Town Hall include moving town offices to a surplus school nearby and returning the Police Department to the basement and first floor of this building. Walpole Iown Hall will thus continue to serve its original civic functions. The building's nomination to the National Register would help insure its continued recognition as an important part of Walpole's past.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Biographical Dictionary of American Architects, Deceased, Withey, Henry F. and Elise R. Hennessey & Ingalls (orig. 1956), 1970 ed. Records, Town of Walpole. A History of Walpole, Mass. from Earliest Times. Lewis, Isaac Newton, 1905. 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property approx. 0.9 acre Quadrangle name Medfield, MA ACREA MOTI ENU *Quadrangle scale 1:25,000 UMT References A L19 3|1/3|790| Zone Easting Northing EL 1416/618/2015/ Northing LLLL LLLLLL Zone Easting -LLIL F LLIL LLLLIL Verbal boundary description and justification A rectangular lot at the northwest corner of the town property at the intersection of Main and Stone Streets running 125' along Stone and approx- imately 120' along Main Street - Sets building off from other town owned structures.

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 Wendy Frontiero, Preservation Planner with Thompson S. Lingel, Consultant organization Massachusetts Historical Cormission date July 24, 1981 street & number 294 Washington Street telephone (617) 727-8470 Boston city or town state Massachusetts.02108 12.

State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national _ state Xlocal 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 Officer signature Patrcia d.

Nesloaske title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Cormission 1/1/8 For HCRS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Delves Byen Entered in the National Register date 10/8/81 fuztu seaper of the National Register Attest: date Chief of Registration GPO 938 835 DUE fh 10/7/81 - 111/81 Name Halpole Jon Aall dnr-3 State, County Kopo Fed Nom or Request-Agency Working Number 9.17.81.339 Federal Register Date 2.2.82 v Nomination B1dg(s) Within: _ Determination of Eligiblity Site Multiple Resource Area _ On Nomination Form: - Objeet - -Thematie Group - Structure - District Maps L Photos 2 Nomination prepared by: / State Staii - Local Other Entered in the Action: National Register Check if Appropriate: < ACCEPT 10/8/8/ RETURN State Request for Review - Keeper's Decision to Review -REJECT 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 Service See Attached_ U.S. Department of the Interior WALPOLE, MA Town Hall Dostobk Co. SEP North facade Photo by Richard Rockwood, 1981 Negative filed with Walpole Historical Commissior Photo 1 of 2 OCT 8 1981 RICHARD ROCKWOOD Photographer WALPOLE, MA Town Hall Ylarfalk Co.

SEP 17 East Elevation Photo by Richard Rockwood, 1981 Negative filed with Walpole Historical Commission Photo 2 of 2 OCT 8 1981 RICHARD ROCKWOOD Photographer WALPOLE INCOAPORATED TTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION The TOWN OF WALPOLE WALPOLE, MASSACHUSETTS 02081 (617) 668-2550 RECEIVED June 25, 1981 JUN.. MASS. HIST.COMM. Rep. John J. Moakley Senate Office Building Washington, D. C. Dear Joe: The Town Hall in Walpole will be celebrating its centennial in October of this year (1981). We plan to have a town celebration on October 18, 1981 at 2 p.m. It would be nice if we could raise a flag on this occasion that has flown over the Capital. Would you be able to arrange for us to have one? I read an article recently about how many re- quests are made, but I thought we'd give it a try.

In a related matter, I have requested National Register status for the building- I would like to have it accepted so we couldi present it at the October 18 celebration. I need help in pushing it along. I'll send you a copy of the request when it is completed in a day or so. We'd certainly be honored if you could join us on October 18 if you're available. Yours trulyy icircis- Maureen G. Rivers, Chairman Walpole Historical Commission be rehabilitated as our police station. P.S. The Iown Hall will close as a tow hall this yearto( offices are moving into a recently vacated school at a savings of $1,000,000! RB EWC 7. CC: Rep. Frank Woodward Board of Selectmen Massachusetts Historical Commission Town Administrator 1.

SEP 17 0 NATIONAL REGISTER LETTE 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 September 11, 1981 Ms. Carol Shull Acting keeper National Register Division National Park Service U.S. Dept. of the Interior Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Ms. Shull: Enclosed you will find the following nomination forms: Boston: Field's Corner Mumicipal Building (local) Walpole: Walpole Town Hall (local) Winchester: Sanborn House (state) All have been voted eligible by the State Reivew Board and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer.

As _you will see from the enclosed letter, the town of Walpole will be celebrating its centennial on October 18, 1981, and would Iike to make acceptance of the Iwon Hall in the National Register a part of the ceremony. The MHC would be most appreciative if your staff could complete review of the nomination by then. Thankyou. Candace Jenkins Candace Jenkins Registration Director CJ/mt encls. RECEIVED SEP 17 NATIONAL REGISTER 8 9 1. CALL V U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE TELEPHONE REPORT - FROM (Name) DATE TIME OF CALI 10/8/81 1:5 pM 2. ADDRESS (Tel. No. if needed) 3. SUBJECT, PROJECT NO., ETC. Walpole DawnSel- Kapw, mA 4. DETAILS OF DISCUSSION Ceeea peguiding listing 7 perperty 10/8/81 Cmp. Kennedy - 224-4543. Cmg. Toongan - 224-2742 Cong.

moakle Carttn Currens - 225-8273 FTS Paul 0'Conner -223-5715- SADO-masa- Cundy fenkiona i Congflg Monkley Noon 1900 C Blag Bastin, Man 02203 NAME OF PERSON PLACING/RECEIVING CALL OFFICE NR FHR- ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER MASSACHUSETTS STATE OCT 8 1981 Date Entered Name Location Walpole Town Hall Walpole Nosfolk County Also Notified Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honozable Paul Be Isongas Honorable John Joseph Moakley Honorable John Joseph Moakley Room 1900 C JFK Building Bostón, MA 02203 State Histortc Preservation Officer Mes. Patricia L. Weslouski Bxecucive Director, Massachusetts Historical Connission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetta 02108 Attn: Paul O'Conner Mid-Atlantic Region, NPS -Fox fuFedy/*/tornation, please call the National Register at (202)943-6401, 272-3504