Nomination for Mowers' Block

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 JAN 2 9 1982 date entered (FEB 25 1932 historic Mowers' Block and/or common 2. Location Rolfe Building (also Rolfe House) street & number and 7 Willow Street (also 67-83 Blake Street) city, town Lynn N/A vicinity of congressional district state Massachusetts code 3. Classification 025 county Essex Category district x building(s) . structure site object Ownership Status Present Use - public X occupied - agriculture X private - unoccupied _ commercial _both - work in progress .

educational Public Acquisition Accessible _ entertainment - in process x yes: restricted _ government being considered - yes: unrestricted _ industrial N/A military 4. Owner of Property name Rolfe House Associates street & number 75 Chapman Street city, town Providence N/Ak vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Essex County Registry of Deeds street & number 32 Federal Street - not for publication Sixth code 009 museum park private residence religious scientific transportation X other:residential apartment Rhode Island 02905 Massachusetts city, town Salem state 01970 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of Historic Assets title of the Commonwealth has this property been determined elegible?Xyes 2/14/80 - no date May 1977 _ federalX state - -county- -local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission city, town 294 Washington Street, Boston state Massachusetts 02108 7. Description Mower's Block, Lynn Condition X _excellent -good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered X altered Check one * original site moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

Facing Linnehan Square, at the west end of Central Square, the Mowers' Block stands at the northwest corner of Willow and Blake Streets on a lot bounded by Willow Street (south), Blake Street (east), Almont Street (north) and another former factory building (west). The building is constructed of brick, six-stories high and has an irregular "U" shaped plan which creates a small courtyard and alley on its west elevation. As with neighboring structures, the Mowers' Building occupies nearly all of its lot and is attached on its west elevation to a neighboring building. Except for the western elevation which has an undecorated utilitarian design, all elevations are finished facades which vary in length but are uniformly decorated by storey. The first storey is framed by fluted cast-iron posts which support a pressed metal cornice; on the east elevation posts alternate with cast-iron columns.

Second storey windows consist of paired 1/1 sash with transoms beneath an arch of radiating bricks set on rock-faced granite springers and capped with a moulded brick extrados. Third storey windows consist of 1/1 sash surrounded by granite springers and radiating brick arches capped with a brick belt course. Fourth and fifth storey windows are identical to those of the third storey except their arched heads have extrados of moulded brick. Sixth storey windows each consist of 1/1 sash with a semi-circular transom beneath a brick arch with a moulded brick extrados. Above the sixth storey window arches are panels of decorative brickwork and a shallow corbelling. Windowsills throughout are of rock-faced granite.

The east elevation forms the major facade; it is seven bays long and is arranged symmetrically about a wide central bay flanked by two narrow bays, which in turn, are flanked by four wide bays. Wide bays contain two sets of windows at the second storey and four windows in each of the upper stories. Narrow bays contain only two windows per storey; those of the second storey consist of I/1 sash with a transom beneath a pointed brick arch. Storefronts from the central bay southward consist of plate-glass windows set on bases of dressed granite and cast stone (ca. 1920-1930). North of the central bay, storefronts have been re-built with brick and anodized aluminum (1980). Corners of the facade are curved bays which contain tri-partite 1/1 windows with fluted stiles at each storey above the first; panels of decorative brickwork exist beneath the sills of the third to sixth stories.

The south elevation contains an entry with pressed metal pilasters and a cornice at its center. West of the entry are modern storefronts of anodized aluminum (1980); east of the entry are plate-glass, cast-stone and granite storefronts (1920-1930) identical to those of the east elevation. Upper stories are divided into two bays each of which contains three paired windows at the second storey and five single windows at each storey above the second. The north elevation has four bays of anodized aluminum storefronts at its first storey. Upper floors are divided into two bays, each of which contains two paired windows flanking a single pointed-arch window at the second storey. Above the second storey each bay contains five windows per storey. The western end of the north elevation terminates in a curved bay, like those of the east 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 Significance - Check and justify below _ archeology-prehistoric - community planning _ archeology-historic conservation _ agriculture economics X architecture education art engineering commerce exploration/settlement communications X industry invention -landscape architecture - __ religion _ law .literature military _ music - philosophy s politics/government _ science - sculpture social/ humanitarian theater _transportation other (specify) Specific dates 1891 Builder

Statement of significance

/Architect Edwin Earp of Lynn Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) The Mowers' Block possesses integrity of location, design, materials and setting as well as historical associations with both the shoemaking industry in Lynn and the city's reconstruction after the Great Fire of 1889. Indicative of the massive scale of the shoe industry in downtown Lynn, the Mowers' Block has gained additional importance since the fire of November 28, 1981, destroyed much of the city's former shoe manufacturing district. One of the largest shoe factories and commercial buildings built in Lynn during the. nineteenth century, the Mowers' Block preserves virtually all the elements of the original Victorian Gothic (Panel Brick) design.

Particularly fine features include the fluted cast-iron posts which frame first storey display windows, the decorative brick panels in corner bays and beneath the cornice, and the varied, decorated window arches with granite springer blocks. Characteristic of a large number of factories and com- mercial blocks designed by Edwin Earp of Lynn during the 1880s and 1890s, the Mowers' Block is the most well-preserved of those that remain. Situated less than 100 yards from the former Central Square railroad depot which provided an important transportation link for nineteenth-century manufacturers, the Mowers' Block and its site have undergone a course of development which is character- istic of the development of the Central Square area.

During the 1840-1860s, the site was built up with several small shoe shops of wood-frame construction; in 1872, these buildings were purchased by Alfred and Martin Van Buren Mower, who began to manufacture ladies' shoes here on an industrial scale soon after the purchase. By the mid-1880s, the Mowers had built a large brick factory on the site replacing part of the dense maze of wood-frame buildings which had grown by addition over the years. In 1889, a fire began in the new brick factory and quickly spread south and eastward throughout the area destroying the largest portion of Lynn's manufacturing and commercial center.

In the re-building which followed the Fire, the Mowers' Block was among the earliest and largest planned although its construction was delayed for nearly a year while the city debated whether to extend Munroe Street through the site or cut an entirely new street along the line of Blake Street. By May 1891, the decision had been made to create Blake Street and construction began on the Mowers' Block. The building was con- structed by Joseph Breed II & Son, carpenters, and Nathaniel T. Davidson & Son, masons. Upon completion in October 1891, the Mowers' Block contained nine store fronts at the first storey, sixteen offices at the second storey and four stories of rental lofts for manufacturing above, a mix of uses which reflected the increased importance of commercial activity around Central Square after the Fire of 1889.

Alfred Adams Mower and Martin Van Buren Mower, like many other local shoe manu- facturers, were Quakers whose family had been artisan shoemakers in Lynn since the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. Just before shoemaking became industrialized, the two brothers learned shoemaking as apprentices in the father's shoe shop on Broad Street. In 1857, the Mowers formed a partnership as Mower & Brother and began to ACREA 9.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References UIM NUI VENTEU Lynn City Item. May 22, 1891, P. Lynn Scrapbooks. Vol. 33, p. 42; Vol. 57, p. 48 (unpublished scrapbooks at the Lynn Public Library) 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property 13,534 square feet Quadrangle nameLynn UMT References A L 9 BK01040 KVbRb4O Easting Northing CLULLILL ELI LLLLL LILL Quadrangle scale 1:25,000 Zone 1iLrid FLIJ LLILLL HLNLAdy Northing LiILL LuhLu Verbal boundary description and justification The nominated property includes only the lot on which the building stands; this lot is identified on Lynn Assessors' Map 19 (scale 1" = 80') as Parcel #4 of Block #625. 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 B.R.

Pfeiffer, ACT for Massachusetts for Candace Jenkins, Registratiun Director organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date December, 1981 street & number 294 Washington Street telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town Boston state Massachusetts 02108 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: _ national 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 accordingto the criteria and procedures set forth by the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.

State Historic Preservation Officer signature atuna LWesowski 1/18/82 title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Conmission For HCRS use only Ihereby certify that this property is included in the National Register date Neer date 2/25/8 y/Keeper of the National Register Attest: Chief of Registration date GPO 938 835 Form No. 10-300a (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED 2861 63 NVP DATE ENTERED FEB 251982 CONTINUATION SHEET One ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 1 manufacture ladies' shoes, then Lynn's major product. Benefitting from the mechanization of shoemaking, the Mowers' Brothers business grew rapidly in the 1870s and 1880s, providing both with a financial "competency" by the mid-1880s.

When the Fire of 1889 destoryed their factory, the Mowers ceased manufacturing and, Mostead,became the owners of investment properties, beginning with the new Block of 1891. 1279 16,837 NOIN S978 13381S TST Z0Fg 180.37 ST. 100. 6% 5177 624 797 - RA, VE 736.75 8460 7133 8S-80 2992 L.C.D 16,841 D; L.G.C.95lad FEB 251982 JAN 2 : 1982 Mowers' Block (Rolfe House) 7 Willow Street Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn Assessors' Map #19 1" = 80' {08$ 68S-ESS L091 5968 9; 1300 53 *S-22 1702 srai era 2287 L.CB 2537TC 2; 11,032 00 89 2135 40.20 3492 70.77 ST. 8994 ,42 23 144.96 ALMONT 63.78 3247 MOWERS' BLOCK BES'SI 8709 20'86 9899 (ia) 0981 6182 393 3199 3a. 5030 CENTRAL SQ. L726 3; 3 5 6 5 9 6% 626 ARcADE 75.71 85.80 ,p3 625 63.92 106'tl 52,08 17-15 116.20 .29-19 STREET 199.43 32-30 10,546 630 21732,5 AVENUE 5079 3> 147 7942 629 132.07 0976 452 - 470 47.48457409 123.38 TI.

LINNEHAN SQ 4L7G S28E 3632 SIZS 16. 91-09I 30.08 13; L.o. :\ 459° 13; 8868 20201 57.90 4335 316-520 55 Ei, 24B 490-500 WASHINGTON 818- 68 T37.65 IVLE 12 -21 4411 324-530 SSL$ 3400 1357 81t2 -31. 333 21, SLLSL 1877 Substantive Review sate, Mawers B Block Working Number -29-82-324 VNomination _Determination of Eligiblity _ On Nomination Form Maps/,1 Photos 2 Nomination prepared by: State Staff - Local _other Action! ACCEPT - 25/82 RETURN -REJECT _ I. Evaluation of Resource (cont. on back if necessary) DUE 2/25/82 - 3/15/82 dnr-3 Fed Nom or Request-Ageney Federal Register Date -2.2.83 _B1dg(s) Within: Site Multiple Resource Area Object - Thematie Group Structure Distriet Check if Appropriate: State Request for Review - _Keeper's Decision to Review _2nd Return late 19 century shae mamjarvecing bminers. Accept Traras 2/23/82 II. Evaluation of Nomination Good Adequate /Poor Comments 1.

Descriptive Statement Short Format _ Yes XNO 2. Significance Statement Short Format XYes _ No 3. Concepts/Integrity 4. Concepts/Criteria 5. Concepts/Boundaries 6. Contextual Evaluation General Comments (cont. on back if necessary): Reviewer/Date Irane 2/23/82 National Park Service See Attached_ U.S. Department of the Interior Mowers' Block 7 Willow Street Lynn, Massachusetts Brian Pfeiffer, Photographer No negative at: ACT for Massachusetts 45 Schoo1 Street Boston, MA 02108 View of the east elevation taken from a facing northwest. essexbank Mowers' Block 7 Willow Street Lynn, Massachusetts Brian Pfeiffer, photographer negative at: ACT for Massachusetts 45 School Street Boston, Massachusetts 02 View of the south elevation taken from a facing northwest.

SHERBURNE, POWERS & NEEDHAM ONE BEACON STREET - BOSTON - MASSACHUSETTS 02108 617/523-2700 DELIVER kereson JONN H.SHERBURNE (919-1959) WALTER POWERS (1919-1977) DANIEL NEEDHAM (9/9-1971) E WILLIAM ANDRES vairr ANTHONY E.BATTELLE FSHANTON DELAND MACHEN STANTON DELAND ROBERT F. WHITE DANIEL NEEDHAM, JR. AM D.WEEKS JOHN T.COLLINS STEPHEN A. HOPKINS HIRSHMAN THEODORE L.TILLOTSON ROBERTA JOHN CEKTEMCWALTER JAMES POLLOCK WILLIAM V.TRIPP I STEPHEN S. YOUNG D. DEUTCH PHILIPJ NOTOPOULOS W.POTTER,JR BRUNDRETT NOLAN CHONFELD D. SMEALLIE CYNTHIA A.CLAFF RICHARDM.YANOFSKY JAMES E.MCDERMOTT NEAL HOLLAND OF COUNSEL CONCORD OFFICE 57 MAIN STREET, CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS 01742 617/369-1611 January 11, 1982 WDW/B 00 Ms. Patricia L.

Weslowski State Historic Preservation Officer Executive Director S- Massachusetts Historical Commission Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Re: National Register Nomination for Mowers' Block (Rolfe House), 7 Willow Street (also 67-83 Blake Street), Lynn, Massachusetts Dear Ms. Weslowski: RECEIVED JAN 2 9 1982 NATIONAL REGISTER This is with further reference to our telephone conversation on December 28, 1981 in connection with the above National Register Nomination for Rolfe House. Thank you very much for your note of that date enclosing sample letters providing for written notice of waivers of formal notification for our use in connection with the above Nomination. We now enclose herewith written waivers of formal notification from the owners, Rolfe House Associates, and the Mayor of the City of Lynn, Mayor Antonio J. Marino.

We understand from your letter of December 28 that having these waivers of formal notification in hand, you will be able to consider the above property for nomination at the regular monthly Commission meeting this Wednesday, January 13, 1982. Unless we hear from you to the contrary between now and Wednesday, we shall assume that the nomination will be acted upon at this Wednesday's meeting of the Commission. If there is anything further that you need from us in order to have the above nomination acted upon at your Commission meeting this Wednesday, please do not hesitate to let us know. Thank you again for your assistance in this matter. SHERBURNE, POWERS & NEEDHAM PAGE_ Two Ms. Patricia I.

Weslowski, State Historic Preservation Officer January 11, 1982 Please acknowledge receipt of the enclosures herein by signing and returning to the bearer of this letter the extra copy of this letter enclosed for this purpose. Very truly yours, Milkiemnt beet William D. Weeks RECEIVED JAN 2 9 1982 NATIONAL Ms. Patricia L. Weslowski State Historic Preservation Officer Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Commission Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 January 8, 1982 Dear Ms. Weslowski: This will confirm that Rolfe House Associates is fully aware of the effects of listing a property in the National Register of Historic Places. It recognizes that, under the National Historic Preservation Act, Rolfe House Associates is entitled to object to the proposed listing of its property by a notarized, written statement.

If it is the sole owner and it objects, its property will not be listed. If there are multiple owners of this property and a majority of the owners object, the property will not be listed. Following is the address of the property owned by Rolfe House Associates: Rolfe House 7 Willow Street (also 67-83 Blake Street) Lynn, Massachusetts Rolfe House Associates hereby waives its right to object to the proposed listing and notifies you that it requests that its property be listed in the National Register at the earliest possible date. Sincerely, ROLFE HOUSE ASSOCIATES By touu tinn Thomas P. Dimeo its General Partner RECEIVED JAN 2 9 1982 NATIONAL REGISTER Oity of Lynn, Mansachunetts Office uf the flayar STUART S. DAVIS JR. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT CITY HALL 01901 (617) 598-4000 Antanio J. Marinu Mayor Ms. Patricia L.

Weslowski State Historic Preservation Officer Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Cormission Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 January 4, 1981 Dear Ms. Weslowski: This will confirm that I am fully aware of the effects of listing a property in the National Register of Historic Places. I recognize that under the National Preservation Act, I am entitled to comment on the proposed listing of property within my jurisdiction. Following is the proposed listing: Rolfe House 7 Willow Street (also 67-83 Blake Street) Lynn, Massachusetts I hereby waive my right to comment on the proposed listing. Sincerely yours, Chrlsur Duie layor Antonid J. Marinc AJM/caa RECEIVED JAN 2 9 1982 NATIOMAL REGISTER 1. CALL TO: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE TELEPHONE REPORT FROM (Name) 2.

IDATE TIME OF CALL 1-26-82 AM PM ADDRESS (Tel. No. if needed) 3. SUBJECT. PROJECT NO., ETC. Chu Jesh 4. DETAILS OF DISCUSSION standield 785-8222 Moore's Blega, mass neds to beliste by Mauch 15 Cantea Jenkris - Jan 18 Mores BIk Look for _ Fabens Bldg - aben, Be Caee teni au avial review NAME OF PERSON PLACING/RECEIVING CALL TITLE OFFICE FHR-8-227 June 1978 1. CALL To: U.S.DEPARTMENTOF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE TELEPHONE REPORT FROM (Name) DATE TIME' OF CALL 1/29/82 AM PM 2. ADDRESS (Tel. No. if needed) Berri Sommer 3. SUBJECT, PROJECT NO., ETC. Mowwer BLock, Lynn,Ma. Calling for Jefl Stanfield 785-8222 4. DETAILS OF DISCUSSION She said that Carol had said to Mr. Stanfield that if they hand carried a copy of the Nomination to us today that we would process it as if it were recieved on Jan. 18.

I told her that I thought that that agreement did not sound plausible, but thatt I would try to find out what the agreement was Called Carol Shull-- She stated that we had agreed to process a hand delivered nomination in the normal fashion. She also recalled that the propetty did not need to be listed until March 15. Called Sommer back and made arrangements to have the nomination dropped of to the control office. Collette found tha nomination in today's mail. Called Sommer back to say that the nomiaation had arrived. Said that we would let her know if we identified any problems with the submission. She will let me know if there-is-anetn understanding of the date by which the property must be listed is incorrect.

| SAD TIAT Ui FARLEST IT CODLO BE LISTED APPROX, 3 WEERS, NAME OF PERSON PLACING/RECEIVING CALL TITLE OFFICE MacDougal FHR-8-227 June 1978 STANFIELD CALLER TO AROLOGISE TOR TRE MISCOMMUNICARON ABOUT HB AND CAROES AGREEMENT. ARPARNUIZY HIS SECRETARY NUSUNDERSTOOA, HE RE AFFIRMED TILT THE PROPENTY NEEDED TO BE LISTEO AS SOON AS POSSIBRE, BUT ALSO SAID HE UNDERSTODD ABDUT THE A5 DAY REQUIREMENT AND TE LENKRÍ DE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTCE. ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered FEB 251982 Name Location Fabens Bulldiag Lynn Essex County Novere' Block Lynn Essex County Also Notified Honorable Paul E. Tsongas Honereble Edward M, Kennedy Honoreble Niebolee Mavroules Mid-Atlantle Region, NPS North Atlantic Begion, NPS Mailed copy of notification to: State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia L.

Weslowski Inecutive Director, Massachusetts Historical Coumission 294 Washington Street Boston, Maseachusette Samayla Deutch Sherburne, Powers, and Needham, 1 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108 For further information, please callthe NationalRegister at (202)343 640%. Eady/mc 2/26/82 272-3504