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 - - - In Area no. 26 HP- 6 Forma®. 138 443 - ' 1. Town Salem Address 298-304 Essex Street Name Shepard Block Present use Commercial/residential 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number WESLET WETHODIS HP Present owner See below left 3. Description: Date 1851 Source Tax records .Style Greek Revival Architect Unknown Exterior wall fabric Brick Outbuildings (describe)_No Other features gabled dormers, bridged end chimney, brownstone lintels and sills 466 3 Owners: 298-302 Essex: 300 Essex St. Trust Jacob H. Levin, Tr. 47 Stanley Rd. Swampscott, Mass. 01907 Altered Storefronts Date c. 1890 Moved No Date 5. Lot size: 8,769 sq.ft. One acre or less Over one acre Approximate frontage 95 ft.
Approximate distance of building from street Adjacent 304 Essex: Morris & Anne Wineg. Recorded by_ A. Crump/A. Van Ingen 30 Evans Road Peabody, Mass. Organization_SRA/Historic Salem Inc. 01960 Date November 1979 (over) UTM Reference: 19/344010/4709210 Assessor's Number: 26-138,443,444 30M-5-77 7. Original owner (if known) Michael Shepard Residential Original use Subsequent uses (if any) and dates_ 8. Themes(checkas 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 Shepard Block, a group of red brick rowhouses built in 1851 at 298-304 Essex Street, is a distinguished example of residential construction for investment of its time. The three-story row is composed of four houses, each three bays wide. The pitched roof is punctuated with twin chimneys at each party wall, and two gabled dormers on the front pitch of each house. A granite basement and brownstone lintels and sills provide contrast on the facade; the entablature is rendered in brick. Storefronts were inserted in three of the houses before the turn of the century, but the row maintains a traditional appearance. Michael Shepard, a prominent local merchant, amassed the land for the project in the late 1840s, and built the row in 1850-51.
The Greek Revival building, originally constructed for residential use, was modified for commercial use on its first floor around 1890. Atlas and building records indicate the existence of wood framed garages and out-building as early as 1874. The brick rear ell is not original and was constructed some time after 1911. Similar structures appear at 5-9 Summer Street and also at the Bowker Block, 144-156 Essex Street. The Shepard Building and Bowker Block act as anchors within Salem's renewal areas along Essex Street, with the Shepard Building on the West edge and the Bowker Block on the East. The Shepard Block possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, work- manship and associations. It meets criterion C of the National Register of Historic 6 Places- 10.
Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's reçords, early maps, etc.) Essex County Registry of Deeds 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 recelved date entered Continuation sheet 12; ! 3 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 Intored in the National Register 2.Federal Street District Entered in the National Register freeper Attest Keeper Date/Signature AelousByun 7/29/83 Aebmßyen 9/168: Attest 13. First Universalist Church Intared 1n tao tatsona 1Reetetor Theeper AuluusBgua 7/29k3 Attest "4.
Monroe, Bessie, House Entered in ine National Register fokeeper Aulbye 1/2/8: Attest _ ''5.| Downtown Salem District subetantsra Horto filkeeper ascept Patuick Andus idlels. . Attest 6. Peabody, John.P., House Jatared in il MwiscräR1 RegiAter Keepe AelvreByen 7/24/23 7. Salem Laundry Entered in tae National Register Attest tkeeper AeluuaAyew 1/29/83 8. Shepard Block Entared in tho Mations] Register Attest fKeeper AulousAyar 2/22/83 9.
Wesley Methodist Church Entered in the Mational Register 10.' Crombie Street District Entered in the National Regteter Attest fteeper Attest FReeper Attest deloneByus 7/21/83 Aibmußzun 9/16f3 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES United States De mont el the laberie National Park Seri Shepard Block (Downtown Salem MRA) Essex County MASSA CHUSETTS EYALUATION / RETURN SHE resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Working No. JUN | 4 1983 Fed. Reg. Date: 2.7 84 Date Due: 7/29/83 Action: L ACCEPT_7/29/83 Intored in the - RETURN MfartSoösl Regieter - REJECT_ Federal Agency: - sample - request _ appeal - NR decision Reviower's comments: Recom. /Criteria. Reviewer_ Discipline Date se continuation sheet -Nomination returned for: - technical corrections cited below -substantive reasons discussad below 1. 2. Name Location 3.
Classification Ued 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys L Me property heen eeerm 7. Description senore ederd ataed (ll keowm! summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Chock eno noved 8. Significance tere lees ef 3 poelfle dates wider Arenitee ed ske nifler arogra summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relation ship of integrity to significance justification of excepticn other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data oreage ot nominsted property - Quadrangte rume . UMT Reterencss Verbel boundery descriptien end justification 11. Form Prepared By 12.
State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evelurted significance of this property within the stete is: netionel _state scervation Officer signeture date 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 KEEP RIGHT A PUMBING E HEATING CANIIEND S 1-18 stige Print by Berkey NOV 1979 ge Prints by Berkey Sheperd Block 298-304 Esset St. Dounten Selen MRA, Me Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000277