BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - -, 1. Town Address Name Present use 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number - - 4. Map. Draw sketch of building location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings. Indicate north. HP-1 In Area no. 34 Form no. 429 Salem 55 Lafayette Street Salem Laundry commercial Present owner 3. Description: Salem Laundry Co. 69 Lafayette St. Salem, Mass. 01970 Date 1906 Source Directories Style Functional Architect Unknown Exterior wall fabric Concrete Outbuildings (describe)_N/A Other features_pier and spandrel construc- glazed with multi-pane sash FARKING CHAATER STREET CEKETERY Altered No Date Moved No Date 5. Lot size: 34,074 sq. ft. One acre or less Over one acre Approximate frontage 318 ft. Approximate distance of building from street Adjacent 6.
Recorded by A. Crump Organization Salem Redevelopment Authority Date November 1979 UTM Reference: 19/344430/4709050 Assessor's Number: 34-429 30M-5-77 7. Original owner (if known)_Salem Laundry Co. Original use Commercial Subsequent uses (if any) and dates 8. Themes (check as many as applicable) Aboriginal Agricultural Architectural The Arts Commerce Communication Community development Conservation Education Exploration/ settlement Industry Military Political Recreation Religion Science/ invention Social/ humanitarian Transportation 9. Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above) The Salem Laundry building at 55 Lafayette Street, built in 1906, was the first concrete structure in Salem, and represents contemporary technology in its advanced form. The factory is four stories high.
The facade is divided into three bays characterized by large areas of steel frame factory sash. The central bay projects slightly from the wall plane. Ashlar-tooled concrete block piers separate the bays, while spandrels and fasciae are smooth-faced and severely detailed. The storefronts are divided like Chicago windows with transoms; the center bay of each of the end stores is emphasized by an archway in its transom. The imitation ashlar character of the concrete block used to construct the Salem Laundry is typical of a stage in the development of this technology that was at its height in the decade 1910-1920.
The vertical tooled face and pseudo-ashlar coursing of these blocks are typical of the intermediate stage of concrete block development, ot eheae brocka ate bypical of the sacomadtated, between coarse, technologically primitive rock-faced block and the abandonment of the "imitation stone" appearance in favor of a forthright expression of the material. The appearance of this intermediate style in Salem as early as 1906 is especially notable since the Laundry was the first concrete structure in the city. The rela- tively creative application of concrete block, in the severity of the building's form and in the use throughout of a pattern typically limited to architectural accent, suggests an ambitious approach reaching ahead to a direct expression of the material in anticipation of technological feasibility. (Continued) 10.
Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) City Directories Gillespie, Ann: "Early Development of the Artistic Concrete Block", APT Bulletin, Vol. XI, No. 2(1979). Walker Lithograph & Publishing Co.: Atlas of the City of Salem, 1911. INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity: Salem Property Name: Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 9. Historical Significance (Continued) Form No: 429 Salem Laundry The Hooper family has owned and operated the Salem Laundry business since its inception in the late 1800s. It was not the only laundry business in the area. The business was moved to its present location in 1906. Aside from the one-story addition to the north side of the building, the original structure remains intact.
The Salem Laundry Company has reduced its commercial laundry service in favor of a small coin-operated location and dry cleaning business. The business offices remain in the building. workmanship and association. It meets criterion C of the National The Salem Laundry possesses integrity of location, design, setting, Register of Historic Places. Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form For NPS use only received date entered Continuation sheet 12; Item number Page / af2 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group dnr-11 Name State Downtown Salem Multiple Resource Area Massachusetts Nomination/Type of Review i1. Bowker Place Int'ored în the National Register *2.
'Federal Street District Entered in the Nat1onal Register Date/Signature Akeeper Oelomsßgun 1/24/83 Attest fKeeper AelonaByen 9/16/ "3. First Universalist Church Intered in Hational Regieter SKeeper AelonaByus 7/29/k3 4. Monroe, Bessie, House _'5.1 Downtown Salem District "6. Peabody, John,P., House 7. Salem Laundry Attest Entered in the National Register fokeeper AubuaByen 7/29/8: Attest Substantive Heview falkeper Gucept Patuick Andus cdlules Attest latared in lue MaiSoöal Register tReeper stelorußgun 1129/23 Attest Entered in the National Register ~ tkeeper AulumaByen 1/29/83 8. Shepard Block Entared in tho Matloösl Regieter Attest Hkeeper AulousAyan 7/29/03 9.
Wesley Methodist Church Entered in the Matiowal Regieter Attest fkeeper Aelmeßyus 7/29/83 10.' Crombie Street District Entered in the National Regteter Attest Keeper AilnuBzun 9/16$83 Attest NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES eited States Degart» she Inberier lational Park Servk Salem Laundry (Downtown Salem MRA) Essex County MASSACHUSETTS EVALUATION/ RETURN SHE resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: JUN 1 4 1983 Working No. Fed. Reg. Date: 1,84 Dato Due: 7/14/23-7/29/63 Action: ACCEPT 7/29/83 Entered in the - RETURN lat1onal Register - REJECT. Federal Agoncy:. - sample - request appeal - NR decision Roviower's comments: Recom. / Criteria - Reviewer. Discipline. Date -- continuation sheet -Nomination returned for: _technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussad below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification 4.
Owner of Property 5. 6. Location of Legal Description Représentation in Existing Surveys e Aie PrOBArTY bean Aerermaine 7. Description eentore uine heci - umarter Rere and artgioel (il keowm) summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection doch em 8. Significance loas ef ostfie detes : ol sh mine summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas Checked relating significance to the resource context relation ship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nomineted property Quedrangie neme UMT Reterences Vorbel boundary deecriptien and justificatien 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The eveturted significance of this property within the state is: _ netiona!
_ state ate Hietoric Preeervation Officer signature 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 Dountem Salem MRA, Ma Salen Laundry 55° Lafayette ST erkey 2-18 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000277