BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BIII.DINA MISSION Boston - In Area no. Old Camb. Form no. IIC5 , 1. Town_Cambridge Address_1320-24 Massachusetts Avenue Name Porcellian Club Present use residential/commercial 933 - n Id HUSETTS 1108-28 201 MT 6 AssessoR # 160-24 luruay Sresencmner Edward Bigelow, Leverett, tonstall & John Gardiner, Trustees 3. BésthptiOngrcellian Club, 294 Washingto Street, Boston. Date 1890 Source deed records Style Federal Revival Architect_ William Y. Peters Exterior wall fabric brick Outbuildings (describe) -- Other features primarily brick with brownstone trim. Good example of the Federal Revival style. Altered No Date =-- Moved No Date =-- 5. Lot size: One acre or less xx Over one acre Approximate frontage 200 feet Approximate distance of building from street 0 feet 6. Recorded by Bainbridge Bunting Organization Cambridge Historical Comm.
Date - 1964 UTM - BOSTON SOUTH 19/325590/4693140 30M-5-77 7. Original owner (if known) Porcellian Club Original use commercial/club purposes Subsequent uses (if any) and dates residential/commercial/club 8. Themes (check as many as applicable) Aboriginal Agricultural Architectural XX 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) 1ON R951 Brown Roman brick was used for the austere facade of the Porcellian Club. The shop front, the entrance door to the clubrooms, and the window are detailed in a delicate manner foreshadowing the emerging Federal Revival style. The club itself was established in 1791 as an exclusive private club for Harvard students.
This building, constructed to mark the club's one hundredth anniversary, continues in use as a meeting place for the club. 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) sen NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES United States Department of the Interior National Park Service EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET Porcellian Club (CAmbridge Property: Multiple Resouree ARea) State, County:M4- Nuddlesep Federal Agency: Working No. 11-14.80-2862 Fod. Reg. Date: - Dato Due: 4-17-83 Action: - ACCEPT. RETURN- resubmission nomination by person or local government - REJECT- photosL owner objection appeal maps Substantive Review: - sample - request _ appeal NR decision Reviewer's comments: Asclutectural significance has not leen demonstrated. dssceiations with the Anceetian Clut itsee are ayfecently documented. - Was this a sigruficant Recom.
/Criteria Retuun campues organujation? eteete Reviower Brarkam Discipline arch /tu Date 4./3.82 - see continuation sheet -Nomination returned for: _technical corrections cited below substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Catagor Demorahip pdblic Aooetattion Owner of Property Matus Aecosolbto Prosom Uao 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys ls thie property been dtermined eligibte? y90 - no 7. Description ondttten _ exceltert pood tair - deteriorated ruins . unexposed Ohock ene _unattered aitered Chock one ___ original site _moved dato- acortbs the prosant and ertalnel (ll knawni plrysiaed eppasranas summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8.
Significance Portor Roas o 84 pallcanos Chack and huatity beter poelfe datee ulider Arotulte eraph summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of excepticn other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data acraago ol nominated property - Quedrangle name _ UNT Rolerences Farbel beuadery doecrtptien and hestificatien 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evetuated eignificance of thie property wtthin the state ls: _ Rational _state - lece Bute Mtetori Preeervatten Oficer etgnoture 13.
Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed toAndrus Signed Bracham - Date 413.82 Phone: 202 272 -3504 Comments for any Item may be continued on an attached sheet - FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - In Area no. O1d Camb. Form no. IIC5 1. Town Cambridee- Address _1320-24 Massachusetts Avenue Name Porcellian Club Present use residential/commercial 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number 1108 - 28 4. Map. Draw sketch of building location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings. Indicate north. - MASSACHUSETTS HARVARD SEVERH C 201 { . c. HOLYOKE jurves ASSESSOR #160-24 ,Edward Bigelow, saltonsta11-f John Gardiner, Trustees 3. Besthitiforcellian Club, 294 Washingtc Street, Boston.
Date 1890 Source deed records Style Federal Revival Architect_ William. Y. Peters Exterior wall fabric_brick Outbuildings (describe) Other features primarily brick with brownstone trim. Good example of the Federal Revival style. Altered NO Date --- Moved No Date - 5. Lot size: One acre or less XX Over one acre Approximate frontage 200 feet Approximate distance of building from street 0 feet 6. Recorded by Bainbridge Bunting Organization Cambridge Historical Comm. Date_1964 UTM - BOSTONSOUT 19325590/4693140 30M-5-77 7. Original owner (if known) Porcellian Club Original use commercial/club purposes Subsequent uses (if any) and dates residential/commercial/club 8.
Themes(checkasmanyasapplicable) Aboriginal Agricultural Architectural The Arts Commerce Communication Community development XX Conservation Education Exploration/ settlement Industry Military Political Recreation Religion Science/ invention Social/ humanitarian Transportation 9. Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above) vor, 1861 Brown Roman brick was used for the austere facade of the Porcellian Club. The shop front, the entrance door to the clubrooms, and the window are detailed in a delicate manner foreshadowing the emenging Federal Revival style. The club itself was established in 1791 as an exclusive private club for Harvard students. This building, constructed to mark the club's one hundredth anniversary, continues in use as a meeting place for the club. 10.
Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Cormnity : Old Cambridge Form No: OC II.C.5 Property Name: Porcellian Club Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Harvard's "final clubs" are essentially fraternities or secret societies, open only to juniors and seniors; "final" refers to the fact that one can belong to only one final club. The Porcellian was the third to be established at Harvard, in 1791, after the Speakers Club (1770) and a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa (1781). It guickly became the most aristocratic, and attracted members from the elite families of Boston, Philadelphia, Charleston, and the Old South.
By the turn of the century, the Porcellian, like all the other clubs of the era, maintained a clubhouse with a dining room, billiard room, and other requirements of upper class undergraduate life. The Porcellian remains the most prestigious, and the most limited in membership of Harvard's final clubs. Architecturally, the Porcellian Club is a fine example of Federal Revival architecture. The main entrance features an ellip- tical fanlight window and side lights. The elliptical motif is repeated over the Palladian window on the second floor. Broken scroll pediments top the eight-over-eight dormers, under which all the windows on the front facade line up. The dormers are also decorated with pilaster strips. The entrance side of the building is emphasized by the double dormers, over the paired windows, over the Palladian window, over the entrance.
The flatness of the facade, the delicacy of the window details, and the harmonious relationship of the parts are features displayed here which were common to Federal architecture. Staple to Inventory form at bottom - NPS Form 10-900-a (7-81) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number For NPS use only received date entered Page /3 %.7 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Cambridge Multiple Resource Area MA Nomination/Type of Review 121. XWorcester, Frederick, House DOE/OWNER OBJECTION Date/Signature eternfned EIgIbIe Keeper Tucrllda Aazd 6309 Attest 122. /Porcellian CIub v Keeper Attest tues dur Brp l6300 123. Lowell School V Keeper Witkant. Branam 4.3.82 Attest 124.XFrost, Elizabeth, Ienanthouse / Keeper Substantive Review tonua ha Dtapal 6-20. Attest 125.
Wyeth, Augustus, House DOE/OWNER ,OBJECTION Keeper 6/10/82 Attest 126. Brattle Hall Keeper Hacvend WunanttBracham 4.13.82 Attest 127. Frost, Robert, House Keeper WehanH Bracham 4.13.82 Attest 128. Stedman, Samuel, House DJE/OWNER OBJECTION Keeper Attest 129.Y Mount Auburn Hospítal - Determined Eligible DOE/OWNER OBJLETION - Review Keeper Attest 130. Dodge, Edward, House Nut 6/,0/82 Haverd _Aouen ulian Brg 1 6-3081 Keeper Attest Weeliam H.Brackam 4.13.82 ATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Hod siatas Dopartmant of tho Iatertor Substantive Review Honal Park Semici EYALUATION / RETURN SHEE, - Porcellian Club (Cambridge MRA) Middlesex County MA resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Roview: Reviower's comments: Working No. Fed. Reg. Date:- 2-7-84 Date Due: 7/4/83 Action: - ACCEPT 6/30/83 - RETURN- - .
REJECT_ Foderal Agency:_ -sample -request - appeal NR decision -Momination returned for: SIGNIFICANCE REVISED APPROPRIATELY Recom. /Criteria Reviewer_ Discipline- Date _ 800 AtC ACULEPT Mker 2-30-83 continuation sheet -technical corrections cited below - substantive reasons discussad below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification vosoad Uoo Mlle Aosatettten 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys hes tois property tomn eoermn 7. Description soalen g000 Mertorate ruine hock m unertered Mered psont and ertolnal (il knoroal piryeteet shock eno - moved summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates 8.
Significance ported Aroes of shoni pocte deros an el staninanoo (ia eno saroo rasttty bador wfder Arene : summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context - ARCHITELTURAE CONTEXT relationship of integrity LALKNK to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Aoreago of nominated property Quedrengie neme UMIT Roterences Vertei boundary doacrtatten and hastittcation 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification Ths eretunted signiticance of thie property withim the stame is: nationat state Slata Mlatoric Preservation Omficar egneture 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 EIRCE 009 CLOTHIERS 1108-28 063 C Canbridge MRA, Ma Porcellian Club 1320-24 Massachusetls Au. 1108-28 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000275