BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108 ---- Area 3000 Form no. 130 PHOTO (3x3" OI 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 i Address_33-37 Bliss Stæeet Historic Name French Congregational Church Use: Original church Present church - Ownership:[ Private individual Private organization_First Spiritualist Church Public Original owner French Congregational. Society DESCRIPTION: Date 1887 Source cornerstone Style Victorian Gothic Architect_ Sam Provost, builder Exterior wall fabric_brick Outbuildings STOCKBRIDGE nane BLISS ST. Major alterations (with dates) none MAIN CROSS Moved no Date HOWARD ST Approx.
acreage_less than one acre Recorded by_Margo webber Setting set back 30' from street in an Organization_Andersen Notter Einegold Inc. area of mixed use ranging from a boarding. Date June, 1981 house and commercial buildings to vacant Research and Descriptions: Antoinette lots and a garage. E. Tomasik, LPVRPC Assessor's Map #308 UTM Ref: 18/699480/4663410 (Staple additional sheets here) Springfield South Quadrangle Criteria Statement The French Congregational Churchpossesses integrity of location, design, setting, naterials and workmanship. Itissignificant for its strong associations with Springfield's ethnic working class; it is also a fine Local example of the Victorian Gothic Style. 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) The First Spiritualist Church is a fine example of the style known as high Victorian Gothic. Various building components are massed together, presenting a compact, yet highly diversified appearance from all facades. The church is 68 feet long by 42 feet wide and is constructed of pressed brick, with trim of East Longmeadow brownstone. Three distinct elements are combined to create the front facade. The central portion is a narrow gable-end' building, which projects forward between two towers. Its brick façade is interrupted only by five large, Gothic stained-glass windows...
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community) The decades between 1865 and 1915 were a time of great change, growth and progress in Springfield, and is referred to as Springfield's "Golden Era". The city's vitality was reflected in its changing physical appearance, its burgeoning ethnic population and its diversifying economic base. The building which now houses the First Spiritualist Church was born into and reflects the prosperity and attitudes of this time period. The church was built in 1887. It was designed by a local architect and construc- ted by Sam Provost, a local builder. The architecture of the church demonstrated Springfield's embrace of the new and modern, elaborate, ornamental Victorian Gothic designs. Sponsored in large part by Daniel B.
Wesson, a Springfield industrialist, the church was constructed for the benefit of a crew of French Canadian Huguenots who were employed by the Smith and Wesson Company. The prevailing paternalistic attitude which encouraged such largesse from the industrial sector was plainly revealed in statements made during the church's dedication. One pastor com- mented, "The French Canadians need something else than Romanism. It is our work to evangelize them. Their ignorance and superstition are almost incredible and they need looking after almost as much as so-called heathen in China, Japan or 'India." (Springfield Daily Republican, June 4, 1888) In 1909 the French Protestants were forced to give up the church due to declining membership and lack of a pastor. Mr.
Wesson, acting for the church, sold the buildig to the Congregational Union, a group organized to aid all Congregational churches in Springfield. The Union sublet the church to various ethnic religious denominations including a Negro Protestant congregation and an Italian Baptist ... BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Research and Text by Antoinette Tomasik, Tower Pioneer Valley Regional Planning Commission Sources: Springfield Republican, June 4, 1888, P. 6 King, Moses, King's Handbook of Springfield, 1884, p. 196. 20M-2/80 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : Form No: Springfield 130 Property Name: French Congregational Church Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: -. . Three smaller windows are in the gable.
A cornice of angled, vertically- aligned bricks further distinguishes the front. Iwo towers flank this main section. The east tower, the smaller of the two, is capped by an octagonal spire roof. At the tower's base is a narrow entrance porch with shingled pediment and carved wooden trim. The 68-foot west tower is perhaps the most striking feature of the building, both in terms of its height and its design. This tower has a pyramidal roof and much decorative, reliefed brickwork along the cornice and around the louvered bell windows. The church's main entrance is at the base of this tower. The entrance is larger, but otherwise identical to the east entrance. The true bulk of the church only becomes evident as the side elevations become visible--an unexpected development in view of the front facade's illusion of com- pactness.
The narrow central portionof the front facade blossoms out behind the towers to the front's full width. Both the east and west facades are dominated by the fenestration--large, evenly spaced, pointed arch windows--and by the multi-planed, multi-colored slate roof. The large Gothic windows are important as a unifying design element. Most of the translucent glass, bordered by small squares of colored glass. In contrast, the windows on the side elevations are stained glass memorial windows. Each of these windows is dedicated to a former Spiritualist Church member and incorporates a sunflower motif. The sunflower symbolizes the Spirtitualist creed, "Spiritualism lights the way". HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: - .. group. In 1919, the church was purchased by members of the First Spiritualist Society.
This group dates back to 1850, when it was known as the Spiritualist Union and was housed at Gill's Hall on Main Street at Bridge Street. The Society had no written creed, but believed that "it is better to love humanity than God." They believe in the revelation of science rather than 'so-called' revelations of the Christian bible." (King, p. 196) The Church has remained in continuous use by the First Spirtiualist Church since 1919. Staple to Inventory form at bottom -.FIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Inited States Der lational Park Servic EVALUATION / RETURN SHEET French Congregational Church (Downtown Springfield MRA) Hampden County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviower's comments: Working No. Fed. Reg. Date: Date Duo: /2/9/8 Action: - ACCEPT. -RETURN - REJECT.
Federal Agency: UIIN82-3125 - sample - request - appeal - NR decision 182 -Nomination returned for: Recom. /Criteria - Reviewer Discipline. Date _seo continuation sheet technical corrections cited below -substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification morshu blle M 4. Owner of Property Metur rcon Uoo 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys hes thie property been determained elrgibie? - -- 7. Description - detertorater _ ruins dock ono - unaltered _ aitered - Chock one - origmel site _ moved dete - acartos the procont and ertoinel (il tnora) pteyataed empearens summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8.
Significance Portes Arees of she poctfe dates tomont of Signifleam wllder Areh 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 araago ol naminatad proparty bdrangle remo UNT Reterenoe 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The eratuated eigrificance of ehle proporty wttrun the etate is: __ netional - state ..- loca' Bute Mietonc Proserration OMicer aigneture 13.
Other Maps -Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed Nyur - Date - /22/82 Phone: 202 272-3504 Comments for anyitem 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 sayí Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name _ Downtown springtleld Multiple Resource Area State MA Nomination/Type of Review 41. Colonial Block Entered In the Matinnal Pegister 42. McKinney Building Entered In the National Reglater 43. Bangs Block Entered Im National Register 44. Burbach Block Intered National Register 45. Apremont Iriangle Historic Substantive Hevlom District 46. WCA Boarding House Entered In the National Register 47.
French Congregational Church Entered In the National Register 48. St. Joseph's Church ¿niered in tha National Begister. Snccred in the Natiqpal _Eogtsbez 49. Milton-Bradley Company 50 freper Date/Signature 2/21/83 Attest fReeper Aelom1yen 441183 Attest /Keeper ZlanByenet/r. Attest /Keeper AeluuaByen4/2483 Attest Keeper Kace tea lony. 5/27/83 Attest FReeper duluByer (2143 Attest freeper MelomByer 4/24183 Attest fReeper WelouByus 2/24/83 Attest frkfeeper Klelmualyes 424183 Attest Keeper Attest NAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES #ed States Departmant of the Intarten tional Park Service French Congregational Church (Downtown Springfield MRA) Hampden County MASSACHUSETTS EYALUATION / RETURN SHE resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviower's comments: Working No.11/10/82-3025 Fed. Reg.
Date: _ 2.7.89 Date Due: 4/1/83 Action: ACCEPT_4/24/83 Entered in the - RETURN National Register - REJECT- Federal Agency: - -_ sample - request _ appeal - NR decision Recom. /Criteria _ Reviewer. Discipline- Date _soo continuation sheet .Nomination returned for: _technical corrections cited below -substantive reasons discussad below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Wate sooutettion 4. Owner of Property Metue Prosoms Uoo 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys has hie property bewn torrms - 7. Description esceder p0oo ton menoree ruine unartered atered pooed (Il keeeat peryete summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates check ene _ moved 8.
Significance aas d Bontcms et and jostily toke ad of 8lg 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 atifleede 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The pratuarad segrifhcance of thie property sopen phe eoacera tonal atarte - Meatonc Preeermeton Omcer eigneture 13. Other Maps - Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed - Date_ Phone: 202 272 - 350 Dolantoun Springfield MRA, Ma Frech Eungregstional Church 192 3 i 4 101 ,614 145.21 Faench Conyregational church #130 67 ISS 62 G0 3-37 6usS & "=sD Sprintüld MR 95.77 61 147.701 111.42 0.53 Sé. 38.45 5626 148.80 37 48 56 :110.67 30.
53 52 27.52 149 70 307 109.53 8926 810L: 6855 10117 67.55 6557 53.B1 0761 / 2369 14 1.83 66.41 40 130 5990 STREET 2 1.3.98 129 5881 6°21 5995 07.91 30392 131 votek cligebte but ouner Fejceteri -SPRINGFIELD Y.W.C.A 2.01.03 2 STREET 1000 103:00 5528 39.0 16 =325