BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
NPS Form 10-900 (7-81) OMB NO.1024-0018 EXP. 10/31/84 United States Department of the Interior National Park 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 NPS use only MAY 23 1983. received date entered historic ADAMS BUILDING and/or common 2. Location same street & number 1342-1368 Hancock Street; 1 - 9 Temple Street/notfor publication N/A vicinity of district city, town Quincy state Massachusetts 3. Classification Category Ownership district public X building(s) X private . structure both site Public Acquisition - object .
in process N/A being considered code 025 county Norfolk code 021 Status X occupied - unoccupied - work in progress Açcessible - yes: restricted - yes: unrestricted _ no Present Use agriculture commercial educational entertainment government industrial military - museum - park private residence religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name Adams Building Realty Trust, William W. Bunker, Trustee street & number P.O. Box 56 city, town Waban N/A_vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state MA courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Norfolk County Registry of Deeds street & number 603 High Street city, town Dedham state -MA 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of Historic Assets of title the Commonwealth, #239 has this property been determined eligible? yes Xno date 1978 federalX state - county - - local depository for survey records Mass.
Historical Commission Boston city, town state MA 7. Description Adams but1aing, 1342 - 1368 Hancock Street 1 - 9 Temple Street, Quincy, MA Condition excellent _ deteriorated _ unaltered X original site X fair unexposed *gosoibe the bfoicht and original (if known) physical appearanco The Adams Building is a large Jacobethan Revival commercial structure located in the center of Quincy's business district. Surrounding propertles include the 17th century Hancock Cemetery, City Hall (1844), the First Parish Church (1826), all National Register, and several late 19th to early 20th century masonry commercial buildings. The 3} story, crescent- shaped building occupies a lot of about 15,000 square feet of land, with no iront or side setbacks. Heavy timber framing supports a pseudo-half-timber facade and steep gable roof; the latter is sheathed in slate shingles and flares at the eaves.
The irregular plan of the Adams Building results in a repetitious but irregular facade, consisting generally of (modern) ground floor storefronts, overhanging second and third stories, perpendicular half-timbering framing stucco panels, grouped 2/2 windows, frequent bay windows, and seven steeply pitched cross gables. On the second floor, flush and bay windows have stained and leaded glass transoms; the cross gables feature multi-paned sash. Brick fire walls with projecting ssteppedgables divide the building into three irregular sections and culminate in corbelled chimneys. The Adams Building was constructed in two phases.
The first section (1880-85) is the west elevation, fronting on Hancock Street: In addition to the overall motifs described above, this section is distinguished at the roofline by (a) quatrefoil half-timbering in the spandrel area below the two northern cross-gables; -(b) a small hip roofed dormer near the center; and (c) a large overhanging cross-gable with curved half-timbering at the south end of the structure. This section also contains the major entrance to the building's interior at its northern end. fronting on the intersection of Hancock and Temple Streets. The four cross are carried down to the third floor in shallow bay windows. The utilitarian rear portion of the building features a slightly pitched roof and generally regular 2/2 fenestration, which has been much altered over time.
The only major exterior changes to the Adams Building have occurred on the ground floor, where modern renovations have obscured and replaced elements of the original storefronts. certified by the National Park Service) will rehabilitate the upper floors and restore the storefronts approximately to their original appearance. EFESE Adams Building, 1342 - 1368 Hancock Street 8. Significance 1 - 9 remple Street, Quincy. WA Period prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 -1600-1699 1700-1799 X 1800-1899 _ 1900 Areas of SignificanceCheck and justify below _ archeology-prehistoric - community planning - archeology-historic _ conservation agriculture _ economics Xarchitecture _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 1880-1885 1889-1890 Statement of Significancé (in one paragraph Builder/Architect J. Williams Beal The Adams Building is significant as an intact, early example of commercial architecture in Quincy and as an example of the work of a noted regional architect. Retaining integrity of design, materials, workmanship, location, and setting, the building meets criteria A and C ôf the National Register. The Adams Building has long been a landmark in Quincy Center and was one of the city's first large business blocks. The original, southern section of the building, on Hancock Street, was constructed between 1880 and 1885; the northern part, which extends around Temple Street, was built in 1889-90. The design was by J.
Williams Beal (1855-1919), a Boston architect whose firm (J. Williams Beal and Sons) was responsible for many prominent buildings in the metropolitan and Plymouth County areas. Among these are the extant South Shore National Bank Building (1919) and Bethany Congregational Church in Quincy. The Adams Building was erected for John Q. Adams II, father of the Honorable Charles Francis Adams, and remained in the family until 1952. Originally the building was designed as an all-purpose structure, with stores on the first floor, offices on the second floor, and the Odd Fellows Hall on the third, extending up into the fonth floor. and fourth floors were apparently used as a rooming house. aDarent JaThe remainder of the third For many years, the building had the distinction of having as tenants many prominent doctors and lawyers from the Quincy area.
Several mayors, state representatives, and senators have had their legal practices in this building. In the early years, the offices of John Q. Adams II, Col. Francis Parker, the first superintendent of Quincy schools, a bank, and the District Court of East Norfolk were all located in the Adams Building. Recently, a variety of commercial establishments have located on the first floor, with offices on the upper two floors. Current rehabilitation work, certified by the National Park Service, will retain stores on the ground floor and place offices on all three upper floors. 9. Major Bibliographical References Edwards, William. Historic Quincy Massachusetts. Quincy: Franklin Printing Service, 1954. Ihe fatriot Ledger, p. 1, November 11, 1952. p. 18, April 9, 1962. p.1, Anst31, 1963 BnriA APr112081974- p.3, May 14, 1974. p. 15, September 10.
Geographical Data (continued) Acreage of nominated property - 14,346 sq. ft. Quadrangle name Boston. South Quadrangle scale 1:25,000 UMT References ^L112/ 13/314/71510 416 /719 31110 Zone Easting Northing LILL Zone Easting CL1 LLLL Northing LLLL E GL1 HLULLILuT LILALiI ferbal boundary description and justification westeriy on said Hancock Street 94.01 feet orthwesterly on said Temple Street, by three lines measuring 25 feet, 24.2( feet, and 36.5 feet; Northeasterly on land now or formerly of George W. Pres- cott Publishing Co. 160.51 feet; Southeasterly in part on land formerly of List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state N/A code county code state code county code 11. Form Prepared By Wendy Frontiero, Preservation Planner with name/title Robert J. Luongo, Quincy Dept. of Planning and Comm.
Development organization Massachusetts Historical Commissiondate January 6, 1983 street & number 294 Washington Street telephone 727-8470 city or town Boston state MA 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 National Park Service.
State Historic Preservation Officer signature atuu SWeslowki title State Historic Preservation Officer, Massachusetts Historicat Commisston For NPS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register NeluesByer fo Keeper of the National Register Wattonat Register Attest: Chief of Registration date #/28/83 date 6/23/83 date NPS Form 10-900-- (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form Continuation sheet Adams Building, Quincy Item number 10 OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS usa only received date enterec Page 1 Louis Massik and in part on the parcel hereinafter described, 30:17 feet; and Southerly on land now or formerly of Quincy Savings-Bank, by a line running through the center of 16" wall, 118.85 feet. See also attached sketch map.
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES United States Department al te lrterier National Park Service EYALUATION / RETURN SHEI Adams Building Norfolk. County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government ownar objection appeal Substantive Review: _ sample Reviower's comments: MAY 2 3 1983 Working No. Fed. Reg. Date: 2-7-84 Date Due: 6/-3 183- - 7/7/83 Action: ACCEPT 6/23/83 Entered in the - RETURN National Register_ . REJECT Faderal Agency: - -request - appeal - NR decision Recom. / Criteria - Reviewer_ Discipline- Date -Be continuation sheet -technical corrections cited below -substantive reasons discussad below -Nomination returned for: 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification (rer 4. Owner of Property - Uee 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys A fa proparty boan tenanmined oligte 7.
Description moriorater uine Jec _ unaitered atered ad ergteal (ll keee) phyateel summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Check ene -ortgal deo moed 8. Significance Ported lpssifie datee and juatlly aidee Arulllen gnlfieaneo (in ene paragrapte 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. Geographical Data Aoreage of nominated property Guedrengle neme UMT Reterences Verbel bound 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evelusted significance of thie property within the state is: netionel nate -loca Pete Mletorie Pr ceervation Officer signatun 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 QUINCY, MASS. Adams Building View to the southeast Photograph by Robert Luongo, 1982 Negative filed with Quincy Dept. of Planning & Community Development Photo 1 of 1 QUINCI -156 FRANCIS X. MCCAULEY teli Ätali OFFICE OF THE MAYOR March 7, 1983 RECEIED M-01003 MASS. HIST. COMIM. Valerie Talmage, Executive Director Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 Dear Ms. Talmage: I am pleased to support the nomination of the Adams Building, 1342-1378 Hancock Street and 1-9 Temple Street, to the National Register of Historic Places. The Adams Building is a keystone of the Quincy Center Historic District.
The recognition of this historically and architecturally significant building is justified not only on the basis that the community's appearance is import- ant to the public welfare but also because such buildinqs add to our culture, education and enjoyment by keeping history alive and visual. As you are aware, this building has undergone an extensive exterior restoration and interior rehabilitation and renovation. Commercial revenue bonds have been used to help finance this project. Once the building is listed on the National Register, provisions of the tax act will be employed by the owner. It is my feeling and the feeling of the Quincy Historical Commission that this building makes a significant contribution to the Quincy Center Historic District, to the City of Quincy and to the Nation and is worthy of National Register Listina. Very truly yours Cala Francis X.
McCauley Mayor FXM/emr