BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
I-91 FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108 -- - - Area 3000 Form no. 132 PHOTO (3x3" or 3x5", black & white) Staple to left side of form Photo number SKETCH MAP Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings or geographical features. Indicate north. _Town_ Springfield -AddressHoward Street and E. Columbus Avc Historic Name_ St. Joseph's Church (DSMRA) Use: Original church Present_ church Ownership:L4 Private individual Private organization Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield Public Original owner Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield DESCRIPTION: Date1873-1877 Source_ Centennial Church History Style_ Romanesque Revival Architectunknown Exterior wall fabric_brick Outbuildings none COLUmBUS EAST HOWARD ST.
Major alterations (with dates) 132 1911 - vestibules added 1940's, '60's - interior modernized Moved _i no Date_N/A UNION ST Approx. acreage less than one acre Recorded by Margo Webber Organization _Anderson Notter Finegold Inc. Setting_ Mixed use area; bounded by East Columbus Av. and Rt. 91 to west, across Date June, 1981 street from parish house. Other uses nearby are a school and church parking lot. Assessor's Map #308 UTM Ref: 18/699480/4663240 Springfield South Quadrangle (Staple additional sheets here) CRITERIA STATEMENT Saint Joseph's Church possesses integrity of Location, setting, design, materials and workmanship. It is architecturally significant as a fine local example of an early Romanesque Revival Church. It is historically important for its role in the development of the Catholic Church and as one of the most visible symbols of the early French-Canadian community.
It meets criteria A & C of the National Register of Historic Places. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within community) This structure is a fine example of late 19th-century ecclesiastical architecture built for a growing young parish. Its tall tower and spire rise above the smaller- scaled buildings of the surrounding blocks and create a "landmark" identity within the neighborhood to the south. The building is of brick with brownstone trim. Its massing is the traditional form of a central nave flanked by buttressed aisles. A square clock tower rises above the roofline in the front, center bay flanked by one-story gabled entry vestibules of brick. The window openings give a Romanesque Revival character to the design. The majority of openings have round-arched heads, brownstone sills and voussoirs.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community) The establishment of Catholic churches in Springfield coincided with the influx of immigrant groups in the latter half of the 19th century. These people came to find jobs in the factories and developed small communities within the city. The first Catholic church in the city was St. Michael's Church on State Street, which was organized in 1860. The Diocese of Springfield was created in 1870, with the Rev. P.T. 0'Reilly appointed as its first bishop. In the next few years, the French Catholics, who had previously been part of St. Michael's Parish, decided to recognize a French parish. Under the direction of the Canadian priest, Friar Louis Gagnier, a French-Canadian parish was organized in 1873.
It consisted of 240 families and included the towns of West Springfield, Mittineague and Longmeadow, as well as the city of Springfield. Land was acquired by the Roman Catholic Bishop on Howard Street to build a church. The site selected was part of the estate of Caleb Rice, Springfield's first mayor. basement of the new church was completed and services were held there until 1877, when the entire church was completed. Friar Gagnier is reported to have designed. the church himself, modelling it after brick and fieldstone churches of his native Quebec. St. Joseph's Church continues to serve the needs of the surrounding neigh- borhood to the south, and has grown to include a parochial school, rectory building and additional facilities. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES St.
Joseph's Church, Springfield, MA, 1873 - 1973, Centennial Review History of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Springfield, 1900 King's Handbook of Springfield, 1884, p. 204 20M-2/80 VATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Inited States Dopar uho Interie Iational Park Service St. Joseph's Church (Downtown Springfield MRA) Hampden County MASSACHUSETTS EYALUATION / RETURN SHEET resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviower's comments: Working No. 1/10/82-3125 Fed. Reg. Date Date Due: 1219/82-12/25/82 Action: ACCEPT RETURN /2 REJECT. Federal Agency:. -sample - request - appeal - NR decision -Nomination returned for: Recom. / Criteria - Reviewer Discipline. Date . technical corrections cited below -substantive reasons discussed below continuation sheet 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification mershi Metue oscolon rocon Uoe 4.
Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Is this property hoon determin trgibte? - 7os - nº 7. Description good taie seteriorate ruins Dhack em _ unatterec - aitered Chock one - origmnel site - moved dete - acordoo the procant aud ertetned (il knowal ptryetaed =9po0ren0 summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance Perted Areos of Signiflcen and fostily boter poelfe date nont of Stgnifieen ollder Arehites summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance the to resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References X10. Geographical Data aroago ol naminated property. bndrengie nama. UNIT Rotaranoe prvede 11. Form Prepared By 12.
State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The praduated significence of thie property autthin the etate le: - Retional _- ocai Bute Hictonc Preservatton Officer Bignetur 13. Other Maps - Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed - 8Byur _ Date_ 12/22/82 Phone: 202 272-3504 Commentsfor any Item may be continued on an attached sheet 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 szyí Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Downtown Springfield Multiple Resource Area Nomination/Type of Review 41. Colonial Block 42. Mckinney Building 43. Bangs Block Entered In the Matinnal Register Entered In the National Regiater Entered In National Reglater 44.
Burbach Block Entered f ETE National Registor 45. Apremont Triangle Historic Lubstantive Reviem District 46. WCA Boarding House 47. French Congregational Church 48. St. Joseph's Church Entered In the National Register Entered In tha National Register ¿nicred in tha National Begister. icred in the Natipnal Eogisben 49. Milton-Bradley Company 50 fRooper Date/Signature XubnBzu 2/21(r9 Attest fReeper Xelom1Bzen 4/44/63 Attest /Keeper 2heumBgenet/s. Attest /Keeper AelomByu424/83 Attest Keeper trver ten ary l $/27/85 Attest FReeper duluByer 121183 Attest fkeeper dlouBye 4/24183 Attest fReeper AlelouByus 2/44183 Attest futeeper AllonaBye 444183 Attest Keeper Attest ATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES iited States Depertmanl of the latarior itional Park Service St.
Joseph's Church (Downtown Springfield MRA) HAMPDEN COUNTY MASSACHUSETTS EYALUATION / RETURN SHE resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: Working No. 11/10/82-3021 Fed. Reg. Date:_ 84 Date Due: Action: ~ ACCEPT/24/83 Entered in the Hatlond Rstor IRESER Federal Agency:- - sample - request - appeal - NR decision Recom. / Criteria - Reviewer_ Discipline- Date _ so continuation sheet -Nomination returned for: _ technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification -norshue Pttle hoodattien 4. Owner of Property ledu Prosond Uos 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys M ah property hewn emermanes 7.
Description escede J000 eenorstec ruine - Joca en _ unertered atered hgimed (Il pory summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dnt chack ene moved 8. Significance erler Arcas or 8 eonihoon ti b r Areble summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data edrengle rome JIrT Rotorenos arbel beund djustileation 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification Tha eretuuatad asgrothcance of thia property aoterun tne crato r uetsonel etare .- Hcsonk Praserretion Officer ssgnetur 13. Other Maps - Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to.
Signed _ Date - Phone: 202 272 - 350 Deuntern Springfiele MRA, Ma "St. Jasephi's church 13250 42.96 105.80 HOWARD 170.20 92 ST. .OSEFH'S CAURCH 132 61876 HOWARD S SCHO( COLUMBUS 1259 ST. JOSEPH'S SCHOOL ASSN EAST 1239 CONVENT 168.95 79.77 - 1s promaH UNI