Nomination for Curtis Building

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 MAR 181982 date entered APR 15 1982 historic Curtis Building and/or common 2. Location same street & number city, town 105,109 Main Stgeet Brockton NA vicinity of code 025 NA not for publication congressional district Ilth state Massachusetts 3.

Classification county Plymouth 023 code Category - district x building(s) structure site object Ownership - public Xprivate both Public Acquisition in process being considered 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 transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name Carl Colarusso, Co-Ri Company, Inc. street & number 31 Memorial Drive city, town Avon N/ vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts 02322 courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Plymouth County Registry of Deeds street & number Russel1 Street city, town Plymouth 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys state Massachusetts title Historic Inventory of the Commonwealthas this property been determined elegible? - - yesX no date 1976 _ federalX state - county - _ local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission city, town 294 Washington Street, Boston, state MA. 7. Description Condition _ excellent good X 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 Curtis Building is located in downtown Brockton and was the last building to be con- structed in a block bounded by Main Street, High Street, and Legion Parkway. three story red brick structure with rusticated brownstone trim. Design elements are drawn from the Romanesque revival. The Main Street facade is divided into three bays by brick piers which rise to a cor- sills. pane of glass with a double transom above. The third has been blocked in and now con- tains a conventional sized window with double-hung 6/6 sash. The windows of the third floor are round arched and contain 1/1 double hung sash. A brownstone panel in the center bay above the second story window bears the name of the builder: "S.B. Curtis." The High Street elevation, which is five bays in length, is treated in similar fashion. It continues the corbeled cornice and its end bays are set off by brick piers.

Windows are treated in indentical fashion although here, only the second floor window closest to Main Street has been altered with a single pane of glass. The major alteration to the building is the Main Street storefrontwhich has been rebuilt several times.

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 X architecture education _ art - engineering x commerce -exploration/settlement _ communications industry invention landscape architecture law literature - military .music philosophy politics/government Specific dates c.1898 Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Builder/Architect Unknown _ religion _ science - sculpture _ social/ humanitarian _ theater _ transportation other (specity) The Curtis Building possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship and as a good example of Victorian commercial design, meets criterion C. The building was constructed in 1898 by Sylvanus B. Curtis, a member of one of the old- est families in Brockton. The family name appears as early as 1738 in the records of North Bridgewater, the community which would later be named Brockton. Curtis began his to branch out into real estate, acquiring the Metropolitan Hotel across the street from the site of the Curtis Building. While the hotel must have occupied most of George Curtis' time (he is listed as proprietor in 1892) Sylvanus continued to acquire property.

The acquisition of the Curtis Building site from the estate of Tyler Cobb on May 31, 1884 attracted the attention of Brockton historian, Bradtora Kingman, Ior, at $5.45 per square foot, it was "the biggest price ever paid per foot for real estate in the city." Curtis must have rented the two story wood frame buidling on the site which he purchased from Tyler Cobb for a number of years before deciding to build his own commercial block. Although a precise date for construction of the building has not been established, it is not visible in a photograph of Main Street dated 1895. The Sanborn Map of 1909, however, clearly shows the new brick building. A new listing for Sylvanus B. Curtis, Realtor, at 107 Main Street, in the commercial directory of 1899, indicates a probable construction date of 1898.

This was a period of rapid growth for the local shoe industry and un- precedented prosperity for Brockton. Curtis' new building facing City Hall would have been readily occupied by the growing number of merchants and professionals attracted to the city.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Kingman, Bradford, The History of Brockton, Syracuse, 1895; Plymouth County Registry of Deeds; Mercantile Illustrating Co. Brockton and Its Points of Interest, N.Y., 1895; Board of Trade Manual of the City of Brockton, Brockton, 1899; Greenough & Company Brockton & Bridgewater DirectorY'1898; Boston 1872-1909: Caldwell, Wh, Brockton, Historical, Descriptive & Picturesqe, Brockton, 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Brockton 6320 su.ft. UTM NOT VEDCIED Quadrangle name Quadrangle scale 1:25000 UMT References ACREAGE NO: VERIFIED APBBRBPP KPbPRéRI B LULLLN Zone Easting Northing Zone Northing CL1 F HLwLLL LLLLLLu Verbal boundary description and justification The Curtis Building occupies part of the block bounded by Main Street to the east, High Street to the south, Legion Parkway to the north.

It is baunded by the Goldthwaite Block to the north. 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 Candace Jenkins, Registration Director with Miguel Gomez-Ibanez: Endevor, INC. organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date December 1980 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: 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 VatumaRWeslrusKi title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Connissiondate 2/25/82 For HCRS use only herebycertity thatthispropertyis incluced inthditred e Ayen National Register date ~Keeper of the National Registéf 4/25/82 Attest: Chief of Registration date - GPO 938 835 FHR-8-300A (11/78) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR HCRS USE ONLY RECEIVED DATE ENTERED MAR 18 1:82 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 9 PAGE 1 J.D. Hall & Co. Brockton Commercial Bulletin, Vol.

1, Brockton, 1894 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED MAR 1 9 1982 OATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP NAME HISTORIC Curtis Building ARCOMO same LOCATION CITY. TOWN Brockton MAP REFERENCE SOURCE Sketch Map SCALE no scale REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY SOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3.

UTM REFERENCES - VICINITY OF Plymouth COUNTY MA STATE DATE March, 1980 -PAVED ililL HIGH STREET CURTIS BLDe GOLOTHWAITE ELOCK HOWARD PLOCK LYMAN PrOCk LEGION PARKWAY MAINSTPEET NORTH NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET Property: CURtis Building State, County: - MA, Plymouth Federal Agency: resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: United States Department of the interior National Park Service Working No. 3.18-82- 806 Fed. Reg. Date Date Due:_ 4/15 Entered Actioni ACCEPT. 5-2-82 ./15/82 - RETURN. National Registen - REJECT photos_ maps- - sample - request _ appeal - NR decision -Nomination returned for: Recom. / Criteria - Reviewer _ Discipline_ Date , see continuation sheet - technical corrections cited below .substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location X3.

Classification Catogory Ownership X Publtc Aceuiettion 4. Owner of Property Status Prosent Use 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys has thls property beon determined oliglble? - fes - no 7. Description Cenditien excelient good . deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaitered attered Check one original site moved date - Deeeribe the procent and eriginal (i1 knewm) physical appoarance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance Ported spoolno datoo @tatomont el Bignitheenao (in eno Areas of Siguificance Check and juotky bolen Buttder Archltesl 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 Aoreage of nominated property Quedrangle name - UNT Reterences Varbel boundary doscrtptien and hattcalien 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evetuated significance of thle property wlchin the state is: - netional -. etate - local Beate Hletoric Preeervatton Officer eigneture doto 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 RUGS FFEFFE FFEFFE Duainoicoia STOUGHTON 6 NATICK 30 IRUGS RO Ain PHARMACY NO LEFT Curtis Building Brockton, MA Miguel Gomez-Ibanes Endevor, Inc. 77 N. Washington St., Boston Photo # 1 of 2 Main Street looking north March 1980 CURTIS PUILDING VIEW OF MAIN ST., LODKING NORTH BROCKTON, MA.

FFFFFFEFFFFFFFFFEFFFFTFFFFH DRUGS PEFFF Dunnunclona STOUGHTON 6 NATICK 30 POfl lassiona. PHARMACY NO LEFI Curtis Building Brockton, MA Miguel Gomez-Ibanez March 1980 Endevor, INC. 77 N. Washington St., Boston Photo # 2 of 2 Main St. & High St. elevations CURTIS BUILDING MAIN ST. + HIGH ST. ELEVATIONS BROCKTON, MA ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES STATE MASSACHUSETTS APRIL 15, 1982 Date Entered Name Camp Atwater Lyman Block Curtis Building Goldthwaite Block Howard Block Location North Brookfield Worcester County Brockton Plymouth County Brockton Plymouth County Brockton Plymouth County Brockton Plymouth County Notified Honorable Edward P. Boland Honorable Brian J. Donnelly Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable Paul E. Tsongas Mid-Atlantic Regional Office, NPS North Atlantic Regional Office, NPS State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia L.

Weslowski Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 For further information, please call the National Register at (202) 272-3504