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Nomination for First Baptist Church

The case file that argued this property on to the National Register: 902 words across 8 pages, filed in 1984. Reproduced in full, word for word.

Source document Held by the National Archives in Record Group 79 as reference 84002365, where it exists only as a scan with no text layer. The words below were read off that scan by machine, so the occasional stray character is the recogniser's and the typewriter's. Nothing is summarised, corrected or written by this site. See the catalogue record, or return to the property.

The nomination, in full

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETIS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MA 02108 AREA FORM NO. 80 Town Methuen Address -253 Lawrence Street" Historic Name First Baptist Church Present Owner: First Baptist Church PHOTO: (3x3" or 3x5", black & white) staple to left side of form Photo number 3-33 SKETCH MAP Show property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection. Indicate north. Use: Present church Original - same DESCRIPTION: Date 1869 Source Methuen Historical Commission Style_ Gothic Revival Architect unknown Exterior wall fabric clapboard Outbuildings none PARKST. LAWRENCE ST. Major alterations (with dates)_ Spire on belfry removed, pre-1903 Moved no Approx. acreage_ Setting_residential Date_n/a one acre or less Recorded by.

Gail Hunton/Carole Zellie Organization Landscape Research, Ltd. Date May, 1978/May, 1983 Assessor's Data: Block 53, Lot 6 UTM Reference: Lawrence Quad 1:25,000 19/321120/4732710 (Staple additional sheets here) ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community.) The First Baptist Church is among the best remaining examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Methuen. The clapboard-clad rectangular-plan church retains its paired lancet windows with label or lancet moldings, and bell tower with open belfry and slate covered roofs.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community.) The First Baptist Church possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship and meets criterion C of the National Register of Historic Places. The First Baptist Church was organized in 1815. Baptists in Methuen prior to this time attended the Baptist Church in Haverhill. In 1815 the first services were held in the Daniel Frye house. The current church structure replaced an earlier building constructed in 1816. The construction of the First Baptist Church coincided with the development of a significant residential and commercial center in the vicinity of Lawrence Street and Broadway. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES (name of publication, author, date and publisher) Howe, Joseph.

Historical Sketch of the Town of Methuen (1876). 10M - 7/82 NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number Multiple Resource Area Thematie Group Name State Methuen Multiple Resource Area Essex County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review *1. Barker, Stephen, House Intered In Efe Nartional Register 2. Buswell, J. E., House Enfered he Mational Begister 3. Daddy Frye's Hill Cemetery Entered in the Mah1gpal. Register 4. Dolan, Terence, House Entered in the Nartlonel Begister 5. Double-arch Sandstone Bridge For NPS use only recelved dale entered OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 Page / M_5 dnr-11 6. Emerson House 7. Emerson, Capt. Oliver, Homestead 8. Emmons, G. B., House 9. First Baptist Church 10.

Hardy, Urias, House Entered in the Mettonel Register Matored 1n the MatLonel Regteter Entered in the Mational Regieter Jntered 1a tha Mettonn1 Regtebor Substantive Revlew Cou Date/Signature treeper AtulemalBzun pol Attest Fkeeper AelouaDyena 120/84 Attest FReeper AubmeBzen 1/2/84 Attest /Keeper LelousByuc1/20/84 Attest Keeper Mheca ke 1 69019 Attest fReeper Aeloretyan/2/84 Attest /Keeper AulmeBye/10/84 Attest FReeper deluuByenl1/4/14 Attest /Reeper Attest Keeper LlelmuBzen 1/20/84 Prurk lamed Wkeles Attest WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET First Baptist Church (Methuen MRA) Essex County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: -sample request Working No. DEC - 7 1983 Fed. Reg.

Date: 2-5-85 Date Due: _ 1/5/04 - 1/21 789 Action: -ACCEPT 1/20/84 Intered | In the RETURN Mert1ona1 Rez _ REJECT. Federal Agency: - -appeal -NR decision Recom./Criteria Reviewer Discipline Date see continuation sheet Nomination returned for: technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? yes no 7. Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one - original site moved date 8.

Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) 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 Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: _national state _local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13.

Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to - Signed Date Phone: Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet Fint Bartist church Metruen NRA Ma 713A G CY 108.! 6,50 79,15 so 5,360 154.41 130 30 65.9 141.2 8,081 1391 10,72 5 101 109 5 5 16,590 BLK 53 6 20,363 .3 ST.- -PARK BLK UTUER 343 0 BOT 62 64.5 TIO. 10 17,000 110 281.75 5.12 12.3 18 38,560 369 -LAWRENC 252.6 13/ 8 IA Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000284