BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM A - AREA SURVEY Form numbers in this area Area no. Mid Cambridge MC I 6 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston 1. Town Cambridge Name of area (if any) City Hall National Register District 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5'9) Staple to left side of form Photo number 3. General date or period 1880-1912 4. Is area uniform (explain): in style? no, mixed styles in condition?_yes, generally very good in type of ownership? no, city, church, e in use?_ no, offices, stores, residenc 5. Map. Use space below to draw a general map of the area involved. Indicate any historic properties for which individual reports are completed on Forms B thru F, using corres- ponding numbers. Show street names (including route numbers, if any) and indicate north. Indinate urith nn t" AUSTIN ST.-L APTS 30-D N.E 4WCA ST ORTHODOX CATHOLIC CHURCH 3 MH.
PHINNEY POOL A-I-a CITY dau "3 SaRvIcE Fire INSOTANOE 0 NtC. 0.0 N.C Élechis. LFC0 BE N.C.= NON CONTIBUTING DO NOT WRITE IN THIS SPACE USGS Quadrant NOV 1 4 1980 MASSACHUSETTS AV Robert Rettig, Susan 6. Recorded by_ Maycock, Daniel Reiff, A. Downing, R. Nylander Organization Cambridge Historical Com. MHC Photo no. Date 1967-1968 3.042 ACRES (over) UTM-BOSTON SOUTH 19/326630/4692420 M-5-73-075074 7. Historical data. Explain the historical/architectural importance of this area. 19th The City Hall National Register District reflects the late century development of the Central Square area from single family homes and stores to a modern civic center of city buildings and corporate structures. The area began this stage of development in the late 1880's with the construction of Cambridge City Hall on a hill commanding Massachusetts Avenue.
Its Richardsonan Romanesque style is consistent with that of its contemporary the Cambridge Mutual Fire Insurance Building, and both buildings serve as complementary anchors to this section of Massachusetts Avenue. Bounding the district on the east are the Renaissance Revival Cambridge Electiic Light Company Building on Massachusetts Avenue and the Cambridge Young Women's Christian Association which was built off the main street in the Italian Palazzo style. First Universalist Society moved their church, built in 1822, to a site tacing City Hall in 1888, retlecting the shitt ot civic authority from the first Cambridgeport settlement in Lafayette Square to the new institutional center of the city. 1.
Syrian Orthodox Catholic Church (1822), 8 Inman Street The Syrian Orthodox Catholic Church is of great importance as the earliest of the Mid Cambridge churches and the second oldest church building in the entire city. Built in Lafayette Square in 1822 for the First Universalist Society, the structure A complete remodelling In 1858 by Thomas Silloway, 1s documented in contemporary newspaper accounts. Silloway, a Unitarlan minister-turned-architect, designed over three hundred churches throughout New England. He raised the building, rebuilt the spire and created the Italianate facade. After the building was moved in 1888, further changes were made including the addition of the large rose window above the entrance. 2. Cambridge Mutual Fire Insurance Building (1888), 763 Massachusetts Av Architect The Mutual Fire John A.
HastYnsurance Building is important as a handsome visual companion to Cambridge City Hall, across Inman Street. Fire Insurance Building was désigned in The 1888 by John A. Hasty, a 8. Bibliography and/or references such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc. 3/73 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity : Mid Cambridge Form No: MC I Property Name: City Hall N. R. D. Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Cambridge Mutual Fire Insurance Building (continued) prolitic local architect. The Richardsonian Romanesque building is decorated with polychromatic checkerboard masonry bands. The four-story building of brownstone and granite is anchored to its corner location by a tower. 3.
Cambridge City Hall (1889), 795 Massachusetts Avenue Longfellow, Alden & Harlow, architects The Cambridge City Hall 1s the handsomest of the tour public bustdings inde possthe ttros moste generosity if budeding is Hastings Rindge. impressively sited, sölidly built, and still serving its original purpose. It is a fine example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style. 4. Cambridge Young Women's Christian Association Building (1910), 1 Temple Street, Newhall & Blevins, architects Built the same year that Newhall & Blevins were expanding the Y.M.C.A., the Y.W.C.A. 15 fortunate in still having its open roof loggia, the most notable feature of this U-shaped, Villa-11ke stuccoed building. The original structure was built in 1910. Since that time, two additional buildings have been constructed. A wing was added in 1953, designed by architects Anderson & Beckwith.
The same firm also changed the entrance in the same year and added the swimming pool in 1961. The dormitory wing of the Y.W.C.A. is sympathetic to the original building in color and surface material. Its prominént overhanging eave echoed that of the original building. 5. Cambridge Electric Light Company Building (1912), 719 Massachusetts Avenue, Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, architects Inspired by Renaissance palaces and loggias, thas structure was built as the administrative headquarters of the Cambridge Gas Company in 1912. After the merger of the Cambridge Gas Company and the Cambridge Electric Light Company, the building continued to serve as office space. The two-story limestone structure has seven bays. The City Hall National Register District includes portions of Massachusetts Avenue between Bigelow and Temple Streets, and includes frontage on Inman and Richard Allen Drive.
(see Cambridge Community Development P.D. Quad Map 3). Boundaries were choser to include properties reflecting late nineteenth century development of Central Square into a civic center. - END - Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-900-a (7-81) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number VNTO IV.+Y- EXP. 12/31/84 For NPS use only received date entered Page 241 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Cambridge Multiple Resource Area Nomination/Type of Review v 11. Garfield Street Historte District E6eFenTIve SovLew Keeper Attest /312. Harvard Street Historic District Keeper Date/Signature Banuh 00151-1/30/8 Hawen Wielian H. Brakam 41382 lerIeT Resut: 13.
Kirkland Place Historie District Attest fal Keeper RatrckAndun 5/19/86 vIe Attest Bittt: Saurge 5-148 114. Maple Avenue Iistoric Digtbetantive Review Keeper Attest V,15. City Hall Historic District Keeper SerT Welan H.Bramam 4.18-8 /.16. Ash Street Historic District aVra SerT» Attest Keeper Weliam1tBracham 4.1382 Attest J IT. Avon Hill Historic District Keeper orie pua foiga 6:30.8 Netuen 1.17.82. Attest /18. Berkeley Street Historic District / Keeper Wiliam H.Bravam 4.3.82 Attest / 19. Cambridge Common Historic District Substantive Review Keeper Attest /"'20.
Gold Coast Historic District Keeper Attest Dun Mat Btrefet 6 3089 - Hanrud Rut 6/10/8° Navveu Substantive NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET City HAll HIstoRiC DisTRIiT) Property:CAmbredge multiple Resounce Ales) State, County: MA-nuddleser Federal Agency: United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Working , No. 11-14-8c-2862 Fed. Reg. Date: Date Due:. Action: 4|11/03 C ACCEPT RETURN- - REJECT. 4/13/82 resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal photos 5 maps Substantive Review: Reviewer's - sample - request - appeal comments: ligrificant concentration g puvrie (ruekigo .NR decision Recom. / Criteria. Reviewer _ Discipline- archtr Date £5:82 - see continuation sheet _ technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below -Nomination returned for: 1. Name 2. Location 3.
Classification @wwerahip wblle Aed palelties 4. Owner of Property rosom Ueo , Location of Legal Description . Representation in Existing Surveys hae thle property been determined ef 7. Description g0o letertorated ruing heok ene __ unaitered aered Cheek one moved eertibe the preeent and eriginel (il lnewma) piryeleel eppeereno summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance Portod peelfle datee af and jusdiiy boler - fin emd 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. Goographical Data - of nominated property wadranglo nemo - UNT Referencer 11. Form Prepared By 12.
State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The ovetuated eignificance of thie property altivn the exate is: 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed - Date . Phone: 202 272 -3504 Comments tor any Item may be continued on an attached sheet C707 1093-26A Garb-, lge MRA, Ma Guty luel WtID. Cambridge Electrio Ligt Compan Buiiding NOV 1 4 1980 719 Massachusetts Ave 1521 122b0l 7 Terple ST ST. Casran 6 Garb-ide MRA Ma city Hall HeD. YWCA 7 Temple 87 $52 NOV 1 4 1980C) y.W.C.A. - Med-Camb. - CONSUMERS CREDI 1104-9A 085L IAON Canbridçe MRA Ma City Hall ofi2. Cambridçe Mutual Fire Ensurance Benldirag 763 Massachusetts Ave 1104 -9A 1093-24A Cambrleg MRA Ma City wall Ht.P.. Syriün G,Thodax CaThalie Charch NOV 1 4 1980 5 8 2 InmanSt. MASSACHUSETTS NECK WAY 1632 -JOIN- 1093-29A Canbredue MRA, Ner cuty Hall Hil.
cantricie caty Hall NOV 1 4 1980 ) C 795 massachusetts Ave. city Held 1093-291 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000275