Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Aoroage of nominated property Quadrangle neme - UMIT Reterences Verbel boundary description and justilicatien 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The ovalusted signiticance of this property within the state is: - netional - state Blate Hietoric Preeervation Officer algnature 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to. Patich Andurs Signed _ Drue Man Drçel Date_5/2/82 Phone: 202 272 -3504 Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet 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 7 1982 date entered historic Forest Avenue School and/or common Little Bed School House (preferred) 2. Location street & number Concord Ave. city, town Brockton state Massachusetts 3. Classification Category Ownership - district X public quasi *building(s) - private - Structure both site Public Acquisition object N/Ain process being considered N/A vicinity of congressional district N/A not for publication 11th code 025 county Plymouth code 023 Status X occupied - unoccupied - work in progress Accessible - yes: restricted X yes: unrestricted no Present Use agriculture _ commercial educational entertainment - government industrial _military X museum park private residence religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name Little Red Schoolhouse Association street & number P.O. Box 3036 city, town Brockton N/A vicinity of 5.
Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Plymouth County Registry of Deeds street & number Russell Street city, town Plymouth state Massachusetts 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets of the title Commonwealth #133 has this property been determined elegible? - yes x no date 9/9/76 federalX state - county x local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Conmission city, town 294 Washington St., Boston state Massachusetts 7. Description Forest Avenue School Condition X excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one X unaltered altered Check one - original site X moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance 1969 The Little Red School House was originally located at the intersection of Forest Avenue and West Street.
It was moved two blocks to its present site in 1969 when a new branch library was scheduled to be built on its original site. The current site is on the grounds of Brockton's 6,000 student High School. Concord Avenue is a terraced drive that runs by the athletic fields to the high school complex. The schoolhouse is located on the inbound side of the terrace and is shaded by trees. Because it is 200 to 300 yards away from the high school itself, it retains its original sense of scale. The schoolhouse is a two and one half story, wood frame clapboard structure of rectangular plan. It presently sits on a new brick foundation and is enclosed by a gable roof.. All windows contain 6/6 double hung sash and have simple molded architraves. The west elevation contains 2 enclosed entries beneath a common shed roof which are reached by a flight of five wooden steps.
Iwo windows are located at the second story level with a sign reading "Forest Ave. School." A single smaller window lights the gable to which is attached a flagpole. The north and south elevations both contain five evenly spaced windows at each story. The second floor classroom retains nineteenth century fittings. 8.
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 x education art engineering commerce exploration/settlement _ communications industry invention Built, 1875 Specific dates Restored, 1969-1971 Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Builder/Architect landscape architecture law literature military music philosophy politics/government religion science sculpture social/ humanitarian theater transportation other (specify) Unknown The Little Red School House possesses integrity of design, materials, and workmanship was well as associations with Brockton's early educational system and the beginnings of the city's major period of development.
It is a rare and well preserved example of a two-story, wood frame schoolhouse, built during a time when this building type was evolving from a one-story, wood frame form to a two story on high basement, masonry form. Additionally, it is the oldest extant school in Brockton. Records indicate that 14 school districts were operating by 1884, 10 of which had one room schools dating from the 1840's and 1850's. None of these earlier schools survive. Thus, the Little Red School House meets criteria A & C of the National Register of Historic Places. The Little Red School House was constructed in 1875, the year after Brockton changed its name from North Bridgewater. That renaming underscored the commmity's growing role as a regional center due to the rapid expansion of its shoe industry.
When it opened, the Little Red School House stood in what was then a rural section, southwest of the town center. Its first floor was used for classes while the second floor was used as playspace on rainy days. The second floor was later converted to classrooms and still retains its original fittings. The schoolhouse is the only one remaining from the city's early period of expansion. The schoo1 closed in 1963 and stood vacant for more than five years until the city issued a notice that it would be razed and a new branch library constructed on the site. A small group of concerned citizens formed the Little Red Schoolhouse Association to save the school. The group received permission from the city to move the school to its present site providing they could raise the necessary funds.
The Association secured promises of money, material and labor from Brockton's merchants and trade unions and in 1969 succeeded in moving the school to the grounds of the new high school where it now serves as an educational museum. Although the Little Red School House has been moved two blocks from its original site, it continues to meet the NR criteria due to the rarity of its form and the fact that it is the oldest extant school in the city, thus illustrating an early form of public architecture. 9. Major Bibliographical References "Brockton Saves A School", The Massachusetts Teacher, Boston, Massachusetts, January, 1975. 10.
Geographical Data -22 Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name Brockton UMT References ^ Lug Zone L3 31| 1510 Easting ULL 416 519 3 30 Northing Quadrangle scale1:24000 B dLitad LÜLL Zone Easting Northing DLYTÜO LinL E HLLLL Verbal boundary description and justification East by Concord Avenue 100', North by Lexington Avenue (Paper Street) 95' West by a brook 100' South by Brockton High School athletic fields 95'. Also refer to the attached map. 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 name/title Candace Jenkins, Registration Director, Mass. Historical Commission, with John R. Wilson, Assistant City Planner organization Massachusetts Historical Conmission date 10/80 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 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 tatucerz .Westaske title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission date 2/25/82 For HCRS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Wiluam H.Aralhan Keeper of the National Register Attest: atrice Andus Chiet of Registration date 7.15.82 date T/14 /82 GP O 938 835 LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE BROCKTON, " MASSACHUSETTS SCALE 1"=20' BROOK. HIGH scHtooL PLAYFIELDS LEXINGTON AUE. (NOT BUILT) CONCORD AVE (ENTRANCE TO BROOKTON HIGH SCHOOL) 580 MAR is 1982 JUN 7 1982 NATIONAL Substantive HEVIeEGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET Property: Forest Avenue School State, County: MA Plymeuth Federal Agency:_ United States Department of the Interior Natlonal Park Sorvice rosubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Working No. 3.18.82-808 Fed. Reg.
Date: 1.83 Date Due: _ Action: ACCEPT 7//5/82 RETURN_ -- REJECT- photos_ maps- Substantive Review: sample - request _appeal - NR decision sen Reviower's comments: iaragaaditional information has beer plovided- dhe have justified the biilding ao ineeting the Recom. /Cruteria AceftAtc exception to the criterice fo moed kuildings Reviewer - altick Andius Discipline Historian Date. 2/14/32 - see continuation sheet - technical corrections cited below .substantive reasons discussed b-low -Nomination returned for: /1. Name /2. Location 3. Classification gen ermaratia rolle Aoputettion J4. Owner of Property Matus lososalbto trosam Ueo 5. Location of Legal Description - Representation in Existing Surveys te property toon dbsormined elrgibo - ro0 - no 7.
Description Mleo .exceltent nood faie detertorate ruine unexpoeec shock eno __ unsttered - ahered Chock one - original site - moved date Mho procans and ertolnal (ll tnar) plnyetaed angoarano summary paragraph completeness Clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 0. Significanco me ef s plteon 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 arago el naminated property - aedrangto rame _ UNT Roterenced tortel boundary doscrtptton and paotttcetton 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evatuated stgniticence of thio property artenin tho etoto lo. - national -loco Glata Mlatartc Preservetten Officer elgnolure 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 00H1: H H BAUMAN PHOTOGRAPHY, INC. 46 Breer Street Brockton, Mass. 02401 Tel. 586-3393 Re-order No. 1 November 1979 Date: Photo Information Little Red Schoolhouse. BROCKTON, MA Little Red Schoolhouse East and south elevations Bauman Photography, November 1978 Negative with photograph- er, 46 Breer St, Brockton 10F2 JUN 7 1982 BAUMAN PHOTOGRAPHY, INC. 46 Breer Street Brockton, Mass. 02401 Tel. 586-3393 Re-order No.
Date: 2 November 1978 Photo Information Little Red Schoolhouse BROCKTON, MA Little Red Schoolhouse East and north elevations Bauman Photography November 1978 Negative with photog- rapher, 46 Breer St, Brockton JUN 7 1982 ZOFZ 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 May 28, 1982 Ms. Carol D. Shull, Acting Keeper Division of the National Register of Historic Places National Park Service 440 G. St. Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Ms. Shull, Enclosed are two National Register nomination forms which were returned to us earlier this month for technical and substantive corrections.
The substantive corrections include the following: Brockton - Little Red School House Section 8 has been expanded to include more information on the school's role within the community, as well as a statement of its architectural significance. This analysis is based on the recently completed state survey of the South- eastern Massachusetts region. It is hoped that this information will justify the 1969 move of two blocks. Northfield - Northfield Main Street Historic District Several areas of significance, checked on the top of Section 8 have been deleted leaving pre-historic and historic archaeology, architecture and exploration/settlement. Criterion D.has been deleted since no sites have actually been located or evaluated although the potential for their existence is high.
The National Register staff question on the content of Section 8 appears Lit vas resuimi ted tn Febrtaiget The additional information submitted on it was resubmitted in February, 1982. Therefore, the only change we have made at this time is to add a paragraph explaining the potential for historic archaeological remains. The two maps submitted were intended to compare the boundaries of the The NR boundaries are shown on both maps and are the same on both maps. The properties numbered 1, 2, 3, and 135 were deleted from the NR district because 2, 3, and 135 are less than 50 years old, and they separate #1 from the rest of the district. We hope that these two nominations can now be listed in the National Register. If there are any other questions, please let me know. Sincerely, Candace fenkins Candace Jenkins Registration Director Massachusetts Historical Commission CJ/sac
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