Nomination for Gillon Block

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

NPS Form 10-900 (7-81) United States Department of the Interior National Park 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 OMB NO.1024-0018 EXP. 10/31/84 For NPS use only received SEP 21 1982= date entered historic Gillon Block and/or common 2. Location Ring and welch Building street & number 189 Main Street N/A not for publication city, town Milford N/A vicinity of congroociomaldietnied state Massachusetts 3.

Classification Category - district Ownership - public X building(s) X private structure _ both site Public Acquisition - object N/A in process _ being considered code 025 county Worcester code 027 Status X _ occupied - unoccupied work in progress Accessible X yes: restricted - yes: unrestricted - no Present Use -agriculture X commercial educational entertainment government industrial military _ museum park private residence religious scientific transportatior other: 4. Owner of Property name 139 Main Street Realty Trust street & number 46 Main Street city, town Milford N/Avicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Worcester County Registry of Deeds street & number 2 Main Street city, town worcester state Massachusetts 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets of the title Commonwealth, #.224 has this property been determined eligible? - yes * no date 1981 _federal X state _ county _ local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Conmission city, town Boston state Massachusetts 7. Description Milford, Gillon Block Condition _ excellent Xgood - fair Check one Check one deteriorated Xunaltered X. original site - altered moved date unexposed N/A Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Gillon Block, a four story, flat roofed, red brick conmercial block, is situated in the center of the downtown business district of Milford. The building fronts 96 teet on Main Street, extends 106 feet back, and rises 78 feet. It covers nearly all of the 100' X 111' parcel on which it stands. A 12 feet wide interior court extends to the rear and gives the second, third, and fourth floors a U-shaped layout (see enclosed floor plans). The building's heavy timber framing members are augmented by iron columns in the first floor stores. It is Main Street's most outstanding late nine- teenth century conmercial block. The Main Street facade is eclectic in style but completely syrmetrical in form, being divided into seven bays by brick piers. A central pavilion gives the suggestion of a tower, as it projects two feet towards the street and is topped by a curved mansard roof.

The mansard features a semicircular pedimented dormer on each side and an onion shaped dome at the top. -Flanking the central frontispiece are two secondary pavilions, each of which is framed by brick piers which rise above the cornice line to enclose a brick pediment.(photograph1) The ornamentation of the Gillon Block is hectic. Rectangular, 2 over 2 windows occur singly and in pairs, articulated by granite sills and lintels. (The only arched win- dow occurs on the second floor of the frontispiece.) Spandrel panels are filled with brick corbelling, terra cotta ornament, and brownstone carvings. Terra cotta panels are also employed within the facade pediments and piers. An elaborate corbelled cornice encircles the building. Unfortunately, all of the block's first floor storefronts have been remodelled in the twentieth century.

The Gillon Block's main entrance, at the base of the central pavilion, is enclosed by alternating blocks of Longmeadow brown stone and Milford white granite. An Islamic arch, carved in brownstone, springs from two engaged Romanesque columns of polished Milford pink granite with brownstone capitals. The floor of the recessed entiry is a checkerboard of pink and white Milford granite, and a stained glass fanlight surmounts the double doors inside. The facade of the frontispiece is capped by a brownstone sunburst emanating from rectangular granite panels on which "1888" and "P. GILLON" are set in raised, pol- ished letters. The side and rear elevations of the Gillon Block contain plain brick walls pierced by rectangular windows of varying sizes, all articulated by granite sills and lintels.

The taller windows at the rear of the side elevations are contained within large recessed panels with brick corbelling. Significant interior spaces include two 40' X 60' X 19' meeting halls on the third floor (photo #s 3 and 4). The halls' original woodwork remains, as does most of the decorative stencilling on walls and ceilings. A number of anterooms adjoin these halls. Iwo "banguet halls" occupy the fourth floor, 23 offices line a U-shaped corridor on the second floor (photo #2), and three stores and a barroom occupy the first floor. Period wainscoting, molding, doors, transoms, and pressed brass doorknobs are found throughout the building 8.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Gillon Block, Milford Period - prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 _1800-1899 X 1900- Areas of SignificanceCheck and justify below _archeology-prehistoric community planning - archeology-historic conservation - agriculture X economics architecture education _art engineering X commerce exploration/settlement- communications industry _ invention landscape architecture law literature - military X music - philosophy politics/government - religion science sculpture social/ humanitarian theater transportation other (specify) Specific dates 1888 Builder

Statement of significance

/Architect Rinaldo V. Carey Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) The Gillon Block retains integrity of design, materials, workmanship, setting, and 1o- cation. The building is closely linked to Milford's late 19th century development and is Milford's most outstanding excellent example of eclectic, late Victorian cormercial architecture; it meets criteria A and C of the National Register. The Gillon Block was designed by Rinaldo V. Carey, a local architect whose self- proclaimed specialty was public buildings. This is Carey's only known building, however, 'The Gillion Block's variety of mofis, materials, textures, and colors exude a plyfulness and exuberance typical of the late. Victorian period, although tha idiosyncrasy of this design is highly distinctive. The largely intact interior spaces are a rare survivor of the period.

In the 19th amd early 20th centuries, Milford's economy rested on shoe manufacturing and granite quarring. Milford granite was preferred by many an architect-- McKim, Mead & White among others-- and was shipped to all corners of the U.S. and even to Europe. The Gillon Block is the largest of a number of imposing conmercial buildings erected dur- These late Victorian, red brick structures contin- ue to dominate Main Street and to define its character. Patrick Gi1lon, was errected, made his fortune in the liquor business 1 number of survivina bottles markec suggest that he was a bottle manufacturer as well. The lower floors of the Gillon Blockhavehoused a great many conmercial interests. These include insurance, legal, medical, and dental offices, musicians" studios, a tailor, bank, barbershop, union hall, municipal offices, and a number of restaurants and stores.

The building's two large third floor meeting halls were originally known as Temperance Hall and Red Men's Hall. The Red Men, along with other Gillon tenants such as the Eagles and the Order of the Eastern Star, are among the more than 20 fraternal organizations which once thrived in Milford. Due to the town's geographic isolation, the social role of these organizations took on added importance in the life of the conmunity. Temperance and Red Men's Halls were converted during the 1920s to dance halls, and re- named the Rainbow Room and the Blue Room. The Blue Room eventually became a regular stop on the jazz and big band circuit, and reputedly drew the likes of Duke Ellington, Stan Kenton, and Gene Krupa.

As a popular rehearsal facility during the 1930s and 40s, the Gillon Block gained reknown in music circles throughout southern New England as "the Jazz Building." Milford itself produced a disproportionate share of talented musicians, and some went so far as to call the town "Little Chicago." The Gillon Block presently houses a number of first floor stories and offices ön the upper floor.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Milford Historical Cormission, History of Milford (Milford: Charles Kraft Press, 1980 Milford Journal (January 18, 1888), Milford Directories (1880-1920) Interviews with Milford residents Edwin P. Lilley, Jr., Marilyn Lovell, Ziggy Minichiello, William Ring, and Dwight Watson (3/17/82 ) 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property - Quadrangle name Milford,MA .25 Quadrangle scale - 1:25,000 UMT References ^119| 12/911/6,810 Zone Easting 14|6 68|21410 Northing BL LLILL LULL Zone Easting Northing CL1 -L LIL LLILu EL FLUJ LLILIL GLULLILLILILLL ULILL HL Libad Ltu Lu Verbal boundary description and justification The 96' X 106" Gillon Block nearly covers the entire 11,000 sq. ft. on which it stands, indicated in Assessor's records as lot # 566 on page 48.

Beginning at the NE corner of the premises at a drillhole in the westerty fine of Main st., the boundary runs Nw 111' to a spike, thence S. 28 degrees 32' W. 97 feet to land (cont't) List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state code county code N/A state code county code 11. Form Prepared By Wendy Frontiero, Presevation Planner, with Thomas J. Morgan, Consultant name/title organization Massachusetts Historical Conmission date July 6, 1982 street & number 294 Washington Street 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 X 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 Ofticer signature Valuie Ann lalase title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Conmission date Siptemtor 13, 082 For NPS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Entered in tha Melor fireoer ot the Netitinal Roagteter yen National . Register Attest: Chief of Registration date (0)21/82 date NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp.

10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form For NP'S use only received date entered Continuation sheet Milford, Gillon Block Item number 10 Verbal BoundaryPage 1 formerly of Newcombe, thence Easterly 107' along land formerly of Newcombe to Main Street, thence NE 100' along the westernly line of Main Street to the point of beginning. The nomination is confined to the present lot and the building is not part of a proposed historic district. Downtown Milford N PINE 1": 100° FAYETTE STREET CLARK HANGE STREET STREET STREET Gillon Block Assessor's Lot 566 p.

48 107 STREET MAIN MEMORIAL SQUARE CENTRAL NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES United States Departmant of the Interior National Park Service EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET Gillon Block Worcester County MASSA CHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviower's comments: Working No. 9121182-2476 Fed. Reg. Date: Date Due:10/21 Action: ACCEPT_/0/71/82 Entered in the - RETURN National Register_ REJECT_ Federal Agency:- -sample - request -_ appeal - NR decision -Nomination returned for: Recom. /Criteria Reviewer _ Discipline Date -se0 continuation sheet technical corrections cited below substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Catogory Dwmorship Public Acquiattion 4. Owner of Property Status Aocossltale Procont Use 5. Location of Legal Description 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys has this property been determined eligible? - yes - no 7. Description bcoribe the prosent and ertginal (il lnown) ployeical appourence summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance Ported Spociiic dates Statement el Bignificanoo (in eno Aroes of Significance Chock and justity beles Builder Arehiteet Summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Acrasgo of nominated property. Quedrengle name UNIT References Verbel boundery descriptien and juetification 11. Form Prepared By 12.

State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evatuarted significence of thie proporty within the etate is: - nertional -- state - local Buto Miatoric Proorvation OMficer eignature - dote Bebe 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to. Signed _ - Date - Phone: 202 272 -3504 Comments for any Item may be continued on an attached sheet SARKISTAN REALTY builder - developer Womcurz store Gillon Block 189 Main St. Milfora, MA March 1982 Photo: Tom Morgan Negative: 50 Federal St. Boston, MA (617) 542-1006 Photo # 1014 Looking NW at south & east elevation of Gillon Block Gillon Block 189 Main St. Milford, MA Photo: Negative: March 1982 Tom Morgan 50 Federal st. Boston, MA (617) 542-1006 Photo # 2014 Looking west down second floor north corridor Gillon Block 189 Main st. Milford, MA March 1982 Photo: Tom Morgan Negative: 50 Federal St.

Boston, MA (617) 542-1006 Photo # 3014 The Blue Room looking west (originally Temperance Hall) Gillon Block 189 Main St. Milford, MA March 1982 Photo: Tom Morgan Negative: 50 Federal St. Boston, MA (617) 542-1006 Photo # 4014 The Rainbow Room looking E. (originally Red Men's Hall) masan S1 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 14, 1982 Ms. Carol Shull, Chief National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. 20243 Dear Ms. Shull: Enclosed you will find the following nomination forms: Attleboro: Boston: Boston: Falmouth: ~Milford: Herbert A.

Sadler House (local) 10 Liberty Square Building (local) Wigglesworth Building (local) Wood's Hole School (local) Gillon Block (local) All have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer. Owners were notified of pending State Review Board consideration 30-75 days before the meeting and were afforded the opportunity to comment. Comments received to date are attached to the nomination forms. Sincerely, Candace finkins Candace Jenkihs Registration/Director Massaliusoeis Histurical Connission CJ/sac enclosure SEP 2:1982 "NAL