Nomination for Roughan Hall

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 18 1982 date entereAPR 15 1982 historic Roughan Hall and/or common Same 2. Location street & number 15718 City Square N/Anot for publication city, town Boston (Charlestown) NA vicinity of congressional district Eighth state Massachusetts 3.

Classification Category district X building(s) structure site object Ownership public X private both Public Acquisition in process being considered code 025 Suffolk county code 025 Status - occupied X unoccupied - work in progress Accessible X yes: restricted - yes: unrestricted _ no Present Use agriculture commercial educational entertainment - government industrial military museum park - private residence religious scientific transportation X other: VACANT 4. Owner of Property name Park Street Trust c/o Cordell Engineering, Inc. street & number 210 Broadway city, town Everett N/A vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts 02149 courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Registry of Deeds Suffolk County Courthouse street & number Pemberton Square Boston city, town state Massachusetts. 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth of title has this property been determined elegible? Maissachusettsx no date April, 1980 federal X - state .county - local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission city, town Boston state Massachusetts 02108 7. Description Condition excellent X good fair _ deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one X _ unaltered altered Check one X original site moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

Roughan Hall is located in City Square, the gateway to Charlestown from Boston Proper:. It is across Main Street from the Town Hill Historic District (NR-1970), and is a short distance from the Charlestown Navy Yard, home of the USS Constitution (NR-1966). The area surrounding the building is characterized by mixed residential, commercial, municipal, and institutional use and the Highway Interchange system of Interstates 93 and 95. Roughan Hall is a four-story, plus truss-level, flat-roofed masonry structure, built in two stages in 1892 and 1896. It is built of New Jersey buff brick and its design shows Renaissance Revival and Romanesque Revival influences. The two dressed facades border on City Square and Park Street.

The building's irregular plan re- flects site boundaries: seventy-five feet on City Square, one hundred and seventeen feet on Park Street and forty-six feet on Roughans Way (the alley). Its seventy- two foot height and imposingly formal and monumental appearance make it the key structure in City Square. It is the only remaining 19th centüry building in the Square. Five bays wide, the Park Street facade remains basically unaltered and symmetrical. Molded string courses of limestone above the first and third floors divide the facade according to function-ground floor shops, second and third story offices, and fourth story hall. a vertical emphasis and are regu- larly spaced. and third floor windows, with splayed brick lintels, are al- ternately articulated with two-story flat-arched tan terra cotta and patterned brick surrounds.

These are surmounted on the fourth floor by tall round arches with terra cotta surrounds enclosing windows divided by heavy wooden tracery into two arched lights and an oculus. A rather flat corbelled cornice is supported by a round- arched arcaded corbel table, with an oculus set in each fourth arch. Storefronts have been obscured but retain their original cast iron Corinthian columns.

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 architecture education art X engineering X _ commerce exploration/settlement communications - industry _ invention landscape architecture law literature military musIc philosophy politics/government - religion - science . sculpture X social/ humanitarian _ theater _ transportation - other (specify) Specific dates 1892 and 1896 Builder

Statement of significance

/Architect Arthur H. Vinal, Architect Donovan & Brock, Builders Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Roughan Hall possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship and is an outstanding example of mixed-use, (retail, conmercial and private halls) building design in the Boston area. Built in 1892, with an 1896 addition, it is a fine example of late Italiar Renaissance revival vernacular conmercial architecture. It is one of the few remaining 19th cen- tury "Halls" in Boston, and the only remaining 19th century building fronting on City Square. For these reasons, the building meets criterion C. Roughan Hall was designed by Arthur H. Vinal, and constructed by the firm of Donovan and Brock for Michael Roughan, a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Charlestown. Arthur H.

Vinal (1855-1923), who was the municipal architect for the city of Boston in the 1890's, began his career with the widely-known architectural firm of Peabody and Stearns, and in his early twenties started his own practice in Pemberton Square. institution- al, and residential commissionsin Boston and the New England area. for the Lodge at the base of the Bunker Hill Monument, (NR-1966), the Robert B. Brigham Hospital, the Fire Station (1884), and the Police Station (1884 on Boylston near Hereford (now the Institute of Con- temporary Art) Back Bay District (NR-1973), and the Opera Houses at Bangor and Augusta, Maine. City Square, known as the "Market Place" in 1640, was Charlestown's original conmercial center. By 1892, it was the site of the Courthouse, the Town Hall, several banks, and a hotel, as well as numerous: shops.

When Roughan Hall first opened, storefronts lined Park and Main Streets and all There were originally four street level stores in Roughan Hall; the City Square occupants were the Charlestown Real Estate Agency and D. J. Griffin-Hatter. In 1897, the Roughan Liquor Store occupied the new street level space in the addition. The basement of Roughan Hall housed three bowling alleys, public bathrooms, billiard and pool tables, and a hair dressing department. The second floor contained offices and clubrooms. The third floor was occupied by Bunker Hill Council, Knights of Columbus, and included a "handsome society hall and suite of rooms." The main "Hall" on the fourth floor, a two-story open space, with a mezzanine on the City Square end and a stage on the opposite end, was made possible by using a "fancy" Howe Truss system to support the roof.

The Howe Truss, using wood and steel to their best advantage, permits a free span of nearly 50 feet in the hall below. In this application, the diagonal wood members slope the same way in either half of the truss, acting in compression, with the vertical steel members acting in tension. The unusual feature in this system is the replacement of the center-panel X-brace with a "Straining Beam," which allows an open passageway through the trusses. The original Hall, used as a dancing apartment and lecture room, was elaborately decorated. There were six massive plate-glass mirrors, framed in gilt along the walls and two heroic figures of music and dance painted on panels by two unknown German artists. "The frescoing (was) of the richest possible description, and was done under the direction of Assistant Superintendent of Public Buildings, John H.

O'Neil."1 Although in disrepair, moldings, mirror frames, the figure of dance on one panel and fragments of ceiling medallions and other plaster work, are still intact.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References 152 Boston, The Official Bicentennial Guidebook, E.P. Dutton &Co., Inc.,NY 1975,p.143- Boston Evening Globe; Dec. 28, 1912,pg. 16. (Obituary for Michael Roughan). Boston Evening Transcript, Aug. 25, 1923, Part One, Pg. 5 (Obituary for Arthur Vinal Condit, Carl W., American Building Art, 19th Century, Oxford University Press, NY 1960, pp. 78-102. (see continuation sheet) 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property - 6288 Square feet Quadrangle name - Boston-South ACREAGE 1 Quadrangle scale 1:25,000 UMT References A UTM NOT VERFED B 19 Zone CLI L ELI GL1 33,020,0 Easting 14,6/9219,52 Northing LILL LLLLL Zone Easting Northing DLULLILL LILILA FLIJ LLILL LILL HLyLL LiLu Verbal boundary description and justification Please refer to attached map.

List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state NA code county code state code county code 11. Form Prepared By Boston Landmarks Commission name/titleCandace Jenkins, Registration Director with Angus Crowe & Assoc. AIA and organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date Dec., 1980 street & number 294 Washington Street telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town Boston Massachusetts 02108 state 12.

State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national = state 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 Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.

State Historic Preservation Officer signature Patuna hWeslomki title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Conmission 2/25/82 For HCRS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Entered in the National Register date 4/15/62 fur Keeper of the National Register Attest: Chief of Registration date GPO 938 835 FHR-8-300 (11-78) United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number 8 For HCRS use only received MAR 1 8 1982 date entered APR 15 1982 Page 2 The opening of Roughan Hall was highlighted by a Charity Ball, whose proceeds were given to the poor of Charlestown. Later, the Hall was used by social and fraternal organizations to hold both public and private functions.

Through the years, the building has seen such diverse uses as light manufacturing, taverns, a cinema and roller skating, but still reflects its basic of functions. It remains "without a doubt the most conspicuous (building) in City Square.

SOURCES 1., 2.: "Feature of City Square," the Charlestown Savings Bank Archives, Boston, MA FHR-B-300 (11-78) United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number 10 MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES For HCRS use only received MAR 18 date entered 82 Page 2 "Feature of City Square," no date, (article celebrating the formal opening), The Charlestown Savings Bank Archives, 55 Summer Street, Boston, MA NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET Property:- Boughan Hall State, County:- MA, SUHOIK Federal Agency: United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Working No. - 3.18 82.818 Fed. Reg.

Date: 53 Date Due:_ 115-182 -5/2/82 Action: ~ ACCEPT4/15/82 resubmission Entered in the - RETURN nomination by person or local government Wational Register - REJECT- owner objection photos appeal maps - Substantive Review: -sample - request -appeal - NR decision Reviewer's comments: Recom. /Criteria - Reviewer Discipline. Date see continuation sheet _technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below -Nomination returned for: 1. Name 2. Location X3. Classification comorahip Xpoubltc Aospulattion 4. Owner of Property Status lecosatale rozon Ueo 5. Location of Legal Description Representation in Existing Surveys hes this property beon determined eligible? -105 - 7.

Description Demtltle excallent good fair deteriorated .ruins _ unexpoeed chock ene unaitered - aitered Check one - original site - moved date sartbo the prosent and eriginal (il known) phryeteal appearanco summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance Porter lrees ef S gritcance pecllle datee Chee od jetily boler hllder Archit an el Bienthasnao (ln ano parragrans summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of excepticn other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data horeago of nominated property - Quedrangle neme - UNTT Moterences Varbel boundary doscrtption and justiticatien 11. Form Prepared By 12.

State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The eveluated significance of thie property within the state is: - nationel - state local Pato Mistoric Preeervatien Officer eignature 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 COTT ST-AVEJ 99/ 116p- 1245 213 -955 PRESCOTT VASHINGTON 2112 4275 ~ 42 WASH 1942 143 1090 17IB 13835 9g 1789* ST. /608 1445 000 08 6/3/ 9/26 1249 7694 [HARVARD T:4 353 518 4325 7892 PARKING HARVARD NHOP HARVARD SQ. 1750 =1650 = =1450 3381S 6767 5298 EHUROS SQ. 5497 HENLEY 21048 508* 68 4445° 13A005 1445 C00 TLANEO W4LL 770W V1S 30, . 9+ 18N00 SZE5 ZEZLE 252E CITY SQUARE 739 13381.S 11,359 STREET RA ST. 1. PARK 913 "75) 1929 Roughan Hall 15-18 City Square Boston, Mass.

XPRE SSWAY 2809 CHELSEA 107> 2.5300 1570- COMM. of MASS. DEPT OF PUBLIC WORKS 22,427 1" = 100' NATER 15 19/330200/4692950 Coronet Rrandy ORLSAS KINS SHOE HANDBAGS SAVE 30-50 OSTON the Sour Spike EXPRESSVAY +10- BOSTON KOBIXHHT! VELSEA ST PORIDS 5716-35 Roughan Hall b-loutysuare, boston, Mr #|0F3 View of Park St. facade from SE Coronet Coronet VSQ Brandy Brandy srrn rrssrn ON UNIFORM ECO.INC. IILITARY & CIVILIAN TAILORS - OU rITERS IEDOI Roughan Hall 15-18 City Square, Boston, MA (Charlestown) #20F3 View of City Sq.

facade From SW 5715-32 MEL GOLDMAN STUDIO *929 NEWBURY ST., BOSTON-526-05:22 5715-46 Roughan Hall 15-18 City Square, Boston, MA (Charlestown) #30F3 View from north of rear elevations 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 February 23, 1982 Ms. Carol Shull Acting Keeper National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Dept. of the Interior Washington, D.C. 20243 Dear Ms. Shull: Enclosed you will find the following nomination forms: F Boston: Roughan Hall (local) F Brockton: Curtis Building (local) Goldthwaite Block (local) Howard Block (local) Lyman Block (local) J J Little Red Schoolhouse (local) Chatham: Nicherson Homestead (local) F Gloucester: George O.

Stacy House (local) J Lawrence: Gleason Building (local) F North Brookfield: Camp Atwater (state) J Plymouth: Sgt. William Harlow Family Homestead (local) F - Ware: Otis Company Mill #1 (local) All were voted eligible by the State Review Board at their January 1981 and February 1981 meeings, but the nomination forms have been held at Massachusetts Historic Commission pending the publication of new National Register regulations. In accordance, 36CFR60.6h, of the 11/16/81 National Register regulations, ownership has been verified, and owners have been given at least 30 days to comment on the intent to nominate their properties. All comments are included as part of this submission.

Sincerely, Candace lenkins Candace Jenkins Registration Director CJ/amf MAR 18 1982 NATIONAL REGISTER ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered APRIL 15, 1982 Name First Baptist Church in Newton Roughan Hall Location Newton Middlesex County Boston (Charlestown) Suffolk County Notified Honorable Barney Frank Honorable Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. 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