BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
HP-9 FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - - - In Area no. 26 Form no. 441 : 1. Town Salem 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number - - - - 1. Map. Draw sketch of building location in relation to nearest cross streets and LSPRE Address 8 North Street Name Wesley Methodist Church Present use Church Wesley Methodist Church Present owner_c/o C.A. Currie 12 Lee Street Salem, Mass. 01970 3. Description: Date 1889 Source Newspapers Style Romanesque Revival Architect_Lawrence B. Valk Exterior wall fabric Brick Outbuildings (describe)_None Other features round arched windows, cor- belled cornice, stained glass 290 459 468 (over) Altered Parish Hall added Date c. 1950 Moved No Date 5. Lot size: One acre or less 30,300 sq. ft. Over one acre Approximate frontage 164 ft.
Approximate distance of building from street 5 ft. 6. Recorded by_A. Crump/P. Bailey Organization_SRA/Historic Salem Inc. Date November 1979 UTM Reference: 19/344020/4709260 Assessor's Nunber: 26-441 30M- 5-77 7. Original owner (if known) Wesley Methodist Church Original use Church 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 Wesley Methodist Church is a locally unique example of the Romanesque Revival style church architecture that was popularized throughout the Boston area by H.H. Richardson and his many accomplished disciples.
Built in 1889, the building's red brick walls, brownstone trim and steeply pitched grey slate roof are typical of its date and style. Its Roman cross plan terminates in an apse flanked by sideaisles at the street, with a square corner tower on the north side marking the entrance. A 135-foot steeple designed to sit on this tower was never built. A round arch motif dominates the composition, appearing throughout the fenestration. The form of the cupola which marks the crossing of the nave and transepts is echoed atop elongated colonnettes marking the corners of the tran- septs and balancing the entry tower. The well preserved sanctuary is the building's most notable feature, distinguished by its theatrical-style sloping floor. Interior trusswork is bridged with a corru- gated iron ceiling, originally painted sky blue.
A more typical design element is i the double-hung stained glass partition system dividing the sanctuary from the vestry. The most serious alteration has been conversion to a center aisle pew configuration. The little-known architect was Lawrence B. Valk, of New York City. Foreman Robert G. Norton, who supervised the church's construction, advertised as an architect in city directories following its completion. The building's importance is enhanced by the destruction of most local development from this period in the Great Fire of 1914, leaving Wesley Methodist as a rare example of the Romanesque Revival style in Salem. (Continued) 10.
Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) Salem Evening News, February 16, 1889 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity : Salem Form No: 441 Property Name: Wesley Methodist - Church Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 9. Historical Significance (Continued) In 1823 a wood meeting house was constructed on Sewell Street by the growing Methodist population. Dissension was immediate, due to an ownership dispute between some of the Parish and its Minister, Reverend Jesse Fillmore. By 1841, the dispute resulted in the formation of a second parish which located on Union Street. In 1844, the two parishes merged and erected a new church on Lafayette Street.
The original Sewal1 Street meeting house was sold to the Second Universalist Society. (Sketch of Salem: 1676-1879; Chas. A. Osgood and H. M. Batchelder). In 1872, the Sewall Street property was repurchased by some members of the Lafayette Street Methodist Society who received a charter to form a separate parish. The meeting house was named the Wesley Chapel after the English Methodist John Wesley (1703-1791). By 1886, the congregation had outgrown its meeting space, and on July 1, 1888, the cornerstone was laid and the new Wesley Methodist Church was dedicated on April 25, 1889 on North Street (Wesley Methodist Church Book; 1872-1972). In 1957, the Parish Building at the rear of the existing church was demolished to make room for an education building. The building is a two-story brick structure, with a dark red metal window system.
The Wesley Methodist Church possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association. It meets criterion C of the National 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 / afz Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group dnr-11 Name State Downtown Salem Multiple Resource Area Massachusetts Nomination/Type of Review i1. Bowker Place Intered in the Natlonal Register "2. 'Eederal Street District Entered in the National Register Date/Signature Jkeeper AulousByun 7/24/83 Attest fieeper Aelmaßyera 9/16/ i3. First Universalist Church Entared in tho Hational Regieter SKeeper AelouaByu 7/29k3 Attest 4.
Monroe, Bessie, House Entered in National Register fokeeper AubuBye 7/2/8: Attest 'S.i Dountom salen Diotrict subetantira Hortori filkeeper asceft Patick Andus edlyles. "6. Peabody, John. P., House Jatared in il MaiSoöal Register tkeeper selrußyen 7/29/2 7. Salem Laundry Entered in the National Register 8. Shepard Block Entored in tho Mat1onsl Regieter Attest theeper Attest Hkeeper AuluusByen 1/29/83 AulmusAyad 2/22/83 9. Wesley Methodist Church Intered in the Hational Regieter '10.
Crombie Street District Entered in tho National Regteter Attest fieeper Attest Akeeper Attest AeloneByus 7/29/83 AibuuBzun 9/16183 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Matonaf Part & Propertmand of the laterior Wesley Methodist Church (Downtown Sale m MRA) Essex County MASSA C HUSETTS EVALUATION / RETURN- SHE resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Roview: Reviower's comments: Working JUN.I 4 1993 Fed. Reg. Date: 2.2,88 Dato Due: 7/14/83-1/29/83 Action: -L ACCEPT 7/29/83 Entered in the - . RETURN lational Register - . REJECT_ Fodoral Agency:. _ sample - request appeal - NR decision Recom. /Criteria Reviewer. Discipline Date se continuation sheet -Nomination returned for: technical corrections cited below -substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification ed Ver 4. Owner of Property 5.
Location of Legal Description 6. Répresentation in Existing Surveys fes eue propenty hewn desermin 7. Description aertore - umerterer horer ertgloned (ll kaee summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Choek en nover 8. Significance arter Apeas of 1 souife detee etomon ol Stonitleenoo (tn om 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 eage of nominsted propert Quedrangle neme UMT Reterences Vertel boundary teecrietion and justificstlen 11. Form Prepared By 12.
State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evelusted signiticance of thie property within the state is: netionai ne Historic Praservation Officer signuture 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 Downtehn Salem MRA, Ma wesley Methedist Cherck 8 Northst. 11-26A Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000277