Nomination for Barrett, P. J., 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 MAR 3 1982 date enteregAPR 1 1982 historic P.J. Barrett/Block and/or common Same 2. Location street & number 70-76 Park Street NA not for publication city, town Adams N/At vicinity of congressional district First state Massachusetts 3. Classification code 025 county Berkshire code 003 Category district X building(s) structure site object Ownership public private both Public Acquisition in process _ being considered Status X - occupied _ unoccupied - work in progress Accessible - yes: restricted yes: unrestricted X _ no Present Use -agriculture X commercial educational _ entertainment .

government industrial military museum park - private residence religious scientific transportation .other: 4. Owner of Property name Wanda Dawson & Phyllis W. Sheppard street & number 21 Yale Street city, town Chicopee N/A vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Berkshire County North Registry of Deeds street & number 65 Park Street city, town Adams state Massachusetts 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets title of the Commonwealth #638 has this property been determined elegible? - yes X no date January 1979 federalX state - - county - local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission, 294 Washington Street city, town Boston state Massachusetts 7. Description ADAMS: P.J. Barrett Block, 70-76 Park Street Condition _ excellent X good fair .

deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one X _ unaltered _ altered Check one - original site _moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Barrett Block is located on the west side of Park Street south of McKinley Square in x Adams Center. The block is a 3½ story brick structure with a rectangular floor plan and a low-sloping roof which descends from east to west. The structure rests on a foundation of rock-faced marble ashlar above which the building's red bricks are laid up in a banding surround titi o, sindoch tsr u oo tn os talteune consist or an as Except as surround with an arched head of 2 rows of headers and a gray marble sill. Due to the block's hillside site, only the facade (east elevation) is a full 3½ stories high, while the rear (west) elevation is two stories high.

The building is divided into two stores at the first story and two apartments at each of the upper two stories; it is likely that the building has an interior firewall at its center, extending perpendicular to Park Street and dividing the structure into two equal halves. The facade (east elevation) is symmetrical, containing storefronts at the first story and identical groupings of windows at the upper stories. At the center of the first story are two identical entries set on either side of the interior fire wall; each entry contains a tall, two-pane transom, beneath which is a single, panelled door. Flanking these two entries are two identical store fronts; each has a recessed center entry of double doors with panelled bases surmounted by a two-pane transom.

Flanking these entries are floor-to- ceiling plate glass display windows made up of two panes on each side of the entry recess and four panes facing the street on each side of the entry. Additional cross-bars have 3 sets of cast concrete stairs which appear to have been added in the second quarter of the twentieth century. Separating the store fronts from the upper stories is a wooden cornice supported by three brackets. The upper two stories each contain eight windows which are evenly spaced except for the center two which are closely set. All facade window arches are made of two rows of headers which project slightly from the wall plane and which extends from springer to springer. Immediately above the third story windows, a change of brick color may indicate that the roof of the building has been raised slightly or that some former decorative sheathing has been removed.

The cornice is made of wood and consists of vertical-board sheathing to which jig-saw cut ornament, paired brackets and large single end and center brackets have been applied. Side elevations (south and north) are asymmetrical and undecorated. Both elevations decrease in height toward their western ends, reflecting the declining slope of the roof and the rising slope of the ground level. First story windows on both elevations consist of two-pane lights set in low, arched surrounds. Second and third story windows are identical to those of the facade, but without decorative trim. Attic windows consist of one-pane lights set in small, arched surrounds. The rear (west) elevation is asymmetrical, and is partially enclosed by woodframe porches with no decorative trim.

Because of the sloping site, what appear as the first and second stories of the west elevation are actually the building's second and third stories. Alterations to the block are exceptionally few, consisting of the addition of concrete stairs (facade), some additional glazing bars (facade storefronts) and the blocking of several lights on the storefronts' doors. If the blocks's height has been increased by the addition of one-half story (no documentary evidence has been found), it is likely to have occurred around the turn of the century, based on the appearance of details on the building's attic.

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 architecture education art _ engineering X commerce _ exploration/settlement communications industry invention landscape architecture law literature military music - philosophy politics/government _ religion science sculpture social/ humanitarian theater transportation other (specify) Specific dates ca. 1880-1889 Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Builder/Architect Unknown The Barrett Block possesses integrity of location, design, materials and workmanship and as one of the earliest and least altered examples of commercial design in Adams, meets criterion C of the NRHP. nisved in the tomts tier att The building's exact construction date is currently un- known, however, it is listed in the town's first directory of 1889-1890. One of the first brick blocks to be built on Park Street, the Barrett Block's original design with its first story commercial space and apartments at the upper floors reflects the gradual change in local commercial architecture which occurred in the 1880s and 1890s as Park Street changed from a residential to mostly commercial district.

The building's brick window hoods, decorative brickwork, plate-glass store fronts and bracketed wooden cornice are all characteristic and well-preserved elements of the structure's late Italianate style design. The building's original owner, Patrick J. Barrett, a mason, occupied the Block both as a residence and as a place of business. The Block's storefronts were originally rented to O.H. Bliss, a dry goods merchant, and to T.D. Brown & Co., grocers. At present, the Block remains nearly unaltered from its original design and serves as the best local example of Italianate style commercial architecture.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Town Atlases of 1876, 1894 and 1904; Town Directories after 1889. 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property -25 acres Quadrangle name Windsor, Mass. UMT References A LI18/ Zone 6/514|11010 Easting 417/210/51010 Northing Quadrangle scale 1:24000 E LLiL LLILL Easting Northing -L LILL FLL LILu LLILL LIILL Lu Lud LiliLu Verbal boundary description and justification The nominated property includes only the lot on which the Barrett Block stands; this lot is described in Berkshire County North Registry of Deeds, Record Book 661, P. 218 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 Brian Pfeiffer, ACT for Massachusetts organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date January 1981 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 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 gy the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.

State Historic Preservation Officer signature ateu LWeslowki title Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Commission date 2/17/82 For HCRS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Entored in che loves National Begister date 4/1/82 Keeper of the National Register Attest: Chief of Registration date GPO 938 835 NP$ Q NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES United States Department of the Interior National Park Service 82004945 EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET Property:_ Barrett, P.J. Block State, County:_MA Berkstire Federal Agency: Working Nº.3/3/82-602 Fed. Reg. Date 2.1.83 Date Due: - 4/11/82 Action: ACCEPT_ 4/1/82 resubmission Encered in the - RETURN- nomination by person or local sovernment lational Regtstgri - REJECT_ owner objection appeal maps - Substantive Review: - sampie request - appeal - NR decision Reviewer's comments: Recom.

/ Criteria Reviewer_ Discipline. Date- - see continuation sheet -Nomination returned for: - technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Kame 2. Location 3. Calopory Ciassification Public Acewiaition 4. Owner of Property Status Accossibie Prosent Use 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys las this property been determined oligible? - no 7. Description Condition excelier pood tasr detenorated ruins unexposed Chock ene _unallered aherec Chock one _ original site _ mored date - eeribe the prosont and eriginai (lf kneum) phrysical eppoarence summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection C. Significance Ported trass of Siemiiicance Chack and hustth!

pociic dates Ptatemem el Significance (in eme paragrapi) Bulider Architeet 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 S. Major Bibliographical References 10. Ceographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quedrangie neme. UMT Raterences Verbel boumdary descriptien and justificatien 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Kistoric Preservation Officer Certification The evfiuatec signiticance of this property witin the state is: national -stane - loca! Sate Hetonc Preeervation Ofhicer signeture dete 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 ettached sheet CRAMLERS P. J.

Barrett Block Adams Berkshire County Massachusetts Photo Credit: Brian Pfeiffer Negatives Filed: ACT for Massachusetts Identification: East elevation facade Date: July 1980 MAR 3 1982 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 17, 1982 Ms. Carol Shull Acting Keeper National Register Division National Park Service U.S. Dept. of the Interior Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Ms.

Shull: Enclosed you will find the following National Register nomination forms: Adams: Armory Block (local) Adams: Barrett Block (local) Adams: Berkshire Mill #1 (local - DOE 6/81) Adams: Jones Block (local) Adams: Mausert Block (local) Adams: Pittsfield & North Adams Passenger Station and Baggage and Express House (local) Adams: Simmons Block (local) Lawrence: American Woolen Mill Housing District (local) Melrose: Town Center Historic District (local) Milton: Belcher-Rowe House (local) Needham: Davis-Mills House (Iocal) Needham: Joshua Lewis House (local) Needham: Townsend House (local) Peabody: Nathaniel Felton Houses (local) Stockbridge: Glendale Power Station (local) Stockbridge: Wheatleigh (state) Webster: Main Street Historic District (local-DOE) Westfield: Octagon House (local) Weymouth: Old South Union Church (local) All were voted eligible by the State Review Board at their meeting on 2/10/82 and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer.

Comments by owners and other interested parties are attached. Owners and chief elected officials were notified of pending Review Board consideration on December 23; 1981. Sincerely, Candace fenkins Candace Jenki Registration Director MAR Name ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered APRIL 1, 1982 Location Barrett, P. J., Block Adams Berkshire County Berkshire Mill No. 1 Adams Berkshire County Jones Block Adams Berkshire County Pittsfield and North Adams Passenger Station and Baggage & Express House Adams Berkshire County Notified Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable Paul E. Isongas Honorable Silvio 0. Conte 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