Nomination for Pittsfield & North Adams Passenger Station and Baggage & Express House

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 receivedMAR 3 1982 date entereAPR 1 1982 historic PITTSFIELD & NORTH ADAMS PASSENGER STATION AND BAGGAGE & EXPRESS HOUSE and/or common PITTSFIELD & NORTH ADAMS PASSENGER STATION AND BAGGAGE & EXPRESS HOUSE 2. Location street & number 10 Pleasant Street NA not tor publication city, town Adams N/A vicinity of congressional district First state Massachusetts 3. Classification Category Ownership _ district - public X building(s) - private _ structure both . site Public Acquisition object in process .

being considered code 025 county Berkshire code 003 Status X occupied X unoccupied work in progress Accessible - 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 Donald Dilego street & number 10 Pleasant Street city, town Adams 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 Adams city, town 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets title of the Commonwealth has this property been determined elegible?

state Massachusetts - yes X date January, 1979 _ federal - state _ county - _local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission, 294 Washington Street city, town Boston state Massachusetts 7. Description ADAMS: Pittsfield and North Adams Passenger Station Condition - excellent good X fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered _ altered Check one X original site moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The former Passenger Station and Baggage & Express House of the Pittsfield and North Adams Railroad stand east of the Pittsfield and North Adams railroad bed and west of Pleasant Street, near the east end of Armory Court in Adams Center. Although assigned a street number, both structures are sited in reference to the railroad bed rather than the street. Both buildings have rectangular floor plans, and are one-story high, enclosed by hip roofs which have a steeper pitched central section enclosing the actual structures and a shallower pitched outer section which provides a covered walkway around each structure. The larger of the two structures is the Passenger Station, which is built of red brick (now painted white) and trimmed with brown sandstone, both rock-faced and dressed.

The Passenger Station's opposite elevations (east and west; north and south) are identical to each other, except for modern alterations. The west elevation faces the railroad bed and rests on a plinth of dressed sandstone. Symmetrically arranged, this elevation has at its center a group of three windows whose sills are formed by a course of rock-faced stone which extends around the entire building. Now partially blocked, these windows contained 4/1 sash and have flat-archheads of radiating brick. Flanking this central grouping are two large arches with brick and stone voussoirs. Partially filled in with brick to form a straight-sided opening (by original design) each of these arches contains a central door of nine wood panels with chamfered sides and moulded tops and bottoms. Flanking the central door are two 6/2 sidelight windows set over panelled bases.

Surmounting each door and its sidelights is a tripartite transom glazed with small square panes. Placed symmetrically in pairs along the wall are laminated, curved braces which support the roof's projecting eaves and exposed decorated rafters. The east elevation although originally identical to the west has been altered by the blocking of several windows and by the replacement of its three central windows with a single plate glass window (mid-20th century). The Passenger Station's south elevation rises from a dressed sandstone plinth to a continuous band of rock-faced sandstone which form the window sills. Above this tone course, at the elevation's center are three windows, each of which has a semi-circular head of radiating brick; all three windows are currently blocked. Flanking this group of windows are two pairs of laminated braces which support the eaves.

The north elevation differs from the south in that its easternmost window retains 2/1 sash and both of its outer windows retain a semi- circular transoms of small square panes; elsewhere windows are blocked. The Baggage & Express House stands north of the Passenger Station and is connected to the station only by a concrete railway platform. The Baggage & Express House is a wood-frame structure on a brick foundation. The building's major elevations (west & south) are sheathed with a wainscot of vertical tongue and groove boarding; above the wainscot the walls are clapboarded. The west elevation contains two entries symmetrically placed, and the south end contains one, also symmetrically placed. Each of these entries contains double doors; each door rises from a cross-braced panel with chamfered edges, to two small panels, to a light of 16 small square panes over two large panes.

While some of the lights have been damaged, the doors remain essentially intact. The roof of the Baggage & Express House is supported by 3 laminated braces on the west elevation and two on the south elevation. 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 DESCRIPTION Item number 7 For HCRS use only received date entered APR 1.1982 Page 1 The other elevations (north and east) of the Baggage & Express House were originally less ornate and have undergone subsequent alteration. The north elevation is entirely covered with clapboarding and is partially blocked by an added shed which provides access to the cellar. Centered on this elevation is a single 15/2 window (damaged), above which the eaves and braces have been shorn back approximately 2-3'.

The east elevation abuts a neighboring property and has been covered with plywood panelling at its north end. its south end, a small clapboard covered addition (ca. 1930-40) has been built beneath the eaves. This addition has two blocked windows on its east side and a single door on its south side.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Period prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 1800-1899 1900 Areas of Significance - Check and justify below -'archeology-prehistoric _ community planning . archeology-historic _ conservation agriculture economics .architecture education art engineering 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. 1889-94 Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Builder/Architect Unknown The former Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad Passenger Station and Baggage & Express House possesses integrity of location, design, materials and setting, as well as historical associations with the Pittsfield and North Adams Railroad by which they were built as Adams's main depot. They meet criterion A of the National Register of Historic Places. The Passenger Station, with its brick construction, arched windows and entries, sandstone trim and deep eaves supported by laminated wood brackets, combines elements of the Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne styles. Despite alteration to windows of the east elevation and the partial blocking of windows on other elevations, the essential features of the station remain intact including panelled entries and its railroad platform.

Located north of the Passenger Station is the wood-frame Baggage and Express House which was listed in local directories as the local office of both the American Express Company and the Western Union Telegraph Company as early as 1889-1890. Although built to a similar but miniaturized plan of the Passenger Station, the Baggage & Express House is more fancifully decorated, particularly in its ornately panelled double doors and wooden siding. Exact construction dates for the two structures are unknown; however, both appear on the town atlas of 1894. In addition the town's first directory (1889-1890) lists the two 52222 buildings without street addresses, but in the same way as subsequent listings, suggesting that the present buildings stood by 1889. Important to the development of Adam's industries, the Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad was built through Adams in 1845-1846.

When originally opened, the railroad maintained a depot slightly north of the town's center between Depot and Hoosac Streets. However, with the growth of the present downtown and the increase in local population, the Passenger Station and Baggage House were built on Pleasant Street and a separate freight house perhaps the former depot was maintained north of Pleasant Street. Following their completion, the Passenger Station and Baggage House remained in active use until the mid-twentieth century. The two structures now remain as important remnants from the railroad's major period of activity.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Smith, J. E. A., ed. History of Berkshire County, Vol. I, New York, J. B. Beers & Company, 1885. )aclirg 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property.27 acres Quadrangle name_Windsor, Mass. UMT References UTM NOT VERITED AUAtAGL NUI Quadrangle scale 1:24000 18 Zone CL1 E 6 5,4 20,0 Easting 4720 3120 Northing LLLL Zone 1iLudLI Easting Northing DLULLIL LILILILI FLULLILULILILLLI HLULLILLILILLL Verbal boundary description and justification The nominated property includes only the lot described in Berkshire County North Registry of Deeds, Record Book 607, page 388 and illustrated on Berkshire County Plan, Roll Map 46 (copy attached). List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state N code county code state code county 11.

Form Prepared By Candace Jenkins, Registration Director with name/title Brian Pfeiffer, ACT for Massachusetts code organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date March, 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 by the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.

State Historic Preservation Officer signature Faluma LWeslowski title Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Conmission For HCRS use only I hereby certity that this property is included in the National Regist the Entered elou National Register Keeper of the National Registe 2/17/82 date 4/1/82 Attest: Chief of Registration date GP O 938 835 SdN:194 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC- PLACES United States Department of the Interior National Park Service 82004950 EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET ittspields north Adamo Fassenger Property: Stations Sdggazez expren stonse State, County: MA, Bershire Federal Agency: tond vo. 3/3/82-598 ed. Reg. Datg: 2,82 Due: 4- 4-17-82 resubmission Entered anttaa: - ACCEPT. 4/1/82 nomination by person or local government National Register - RETURN owner objection photos: - REJECT.

appeal maps 4, 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 X3. Ciassification Catapory XPublic Acevisition 4. Owner of Property Siatus Accessibie Tesent Use 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys he thia property beeen determined erigible? - o=- 7. Description Condition exceiem - pood tar detenorated ruins unexposed Chack one _ unailered _ahered soseribe the prosont und erigmai (lt knowni phrysicai a summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary sclection Check one - original site - mored date rance c.

Significance Perted Lroas of SignificanceCheck and justity beler spocific datee Btetoment el Significance (in ane peragraot) Bulider Architecl 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. Ceographical Data Acreage of nomineted property Qusdranpie neme _ UMT Reterences Varbei boundery description and justificatien 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Kistoric Preservation Officer Certification The ersiuatec signiticance of thie property within the stane is: - national -stane - local Buate Metonc Preservation Officer signeture dete 13.

Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to _ Signed - - Date - Phone: 202 272-3504 Commentsforany item maybe continued on an ettached sheet Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad Passenger Station Adams Berkshire County Massachusetts Photo Credit: Brian Pfeiffer Negatives Filed: ACT for Massachusetts Identification: East elevation Date: July 1979 MAR 3 1982 Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad Passenger Station and Baggage & Express House Adams Berkshire County Massachusetts Photo Credit: Brian Pfeiffer Negatives Filed: ACT for Massachusetts Identification: West elevation of the passenger station. South& West elevation of the bag- gage & express house.

Date: July 1979 MAR 3 1982 Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad & Express House Adams Berkshire County Massachusetts Photo Credit: Brian Pfeiffer Negatives Filed: ACT for Massachusetts Identification: (left to right) West and South elevations. Date: July 1979 MAR 3 1982 L. ocation - 3T4T27.20 Filed Februarr 26,1847-7 To North Adomste 100 1 SpiRe Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad Corp. To Rittsfield - -- Dnli Heles Pittsgield &North Adams R.R Pirtsfield & Nortn Adams_R.R.Corp -Bose Line of 2+s20 Radius 1130.34 Arc 176.49 Drujl Mold AREA 11,795{+ 51.35 RIlISI 34 Arc : 50.06 John DecKer STREET Edward Nephew Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad Station Adams, MA. office of Division Engineer Springfield, MA November 1958 MAR 3 1982 Scale: one inch = 30 feet 114.90 LEASANT SPRING Town of Adams County of Berkshire Commonweolth of Mass. VAL, SEC. 7 MAP-14 BOSTON &ALBANY R.R.

NORTH COAMS BRANEH ADAMS PITTSFISAM LAND CONVEYED BY THE PITTSFIELN& NORTH ADAMS R.R. CORP.IO SAMUEL SRONICK Office of Division Enginecr, Springfield , Mass. Nov. 19,5 g Scala 1 in.: 30 ft. Approved 8 kelt 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 (local) 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 andace Jenkin Registration Director MAR 3 1982 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 O. 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