BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING XXIV-8 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108 Area C Form no. 172 Reading ISS 600-622 Main Street yric Name Masonic Block 11 Original_commercial, organizational Present commercial rship:-] Private individual Private organizationMillard E. Charles Building Corporation Public Original owner_Reading Masonic Temple Corporation -CRIPTION: Date 1894 Source Vignettes Style Second Renaissance Revival Architect unknown Exterior wall fabric brick, wood, granite Outbuildings Wone Major alterations (with dates) first-floor entrances and fenestration; one-story extension, north (1929) Moved Wo Date Snlio Recorded Organization Date Approx. acreage_ 31,673 sa. It.
16i0 reservation Setting At corner of Haven Street, Associates Reading Historical Com- another important commercial street Nover REVISEDose Date_ 6|82 UTM: 19/327200/4709840 (Staple additional sheets here) ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within community) Although its first floor has been unmercifully "Colonialized," this sturdy, late 19th-century commercial block is still important, both for its loca- tion -- on a prominent downtown corner, on top of a hill -- and for its unusual ornamental brickwork. Its style is generally Second Renaissance Revival: it is the characteristic three-story block, with distinct hori- zontal divisions corresponding to the floor levels, and different treatment of windows on each floor.
In this case, the long building is further arti- culated by brick pilasters that divide the facades into bays of two or three windows each. The floor division between the first and second floors is (con't.) HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community) ( The Masonic Block, built in 1894, replaced the home of furniture manufac- ( turer Henry Kingman, later 0f W.P. Kingman. The old house, which had been built in 1820, was broken into two pieces, one portion going to 151 Lowell Street, the other to 10 Minot Street. His shops were south and west of his home. The lane next to the property was later widened and named Haven Street, after the first minister of the Third Parish, the Rev.
Thomas Haven- The street was opened as a thoroughfare to the railroad depot after it traversed the land of the second minister, the Rev. Peter Sanborn. The Masonic Block was built by the Reading Masonic Temple Corporation, a group of private investors who held shares of stock in the corporation. The first floor housed stores and shops; the firms of Atkinson's and Adams, and Willis' drugstore, were longtime occupants. On the second floor were the First National Bank of Reading and the Mechanics Savings Bank; the Reading Chron- icle, which printed there from 1894 to 1932; and other professional space. third floor was occupied by the Masonic Lodge. Today_the building is known as the M.F. Charles Building, after jeweler Mil- lard F. Charles, who took over the business of the deceased Lewis E. Gleason in April 1891. Charles added stationery to his line in 1892.
He moved into the north addition to the Masonic Block after it was built in 1929. Over the years, he bought many shares of the Masonic Temple Corporation, giving him a large interest in the building. He was town clerk for many years. His twc sons continued the stationery business; one son also served as town clerk. The firm is run today by a granddaughter of M.F. Charles, and her husband. holdersi avote was taken at the Masonic Temple Corporation's annual stock- meeting to change the corporation's name to the Millard F. Charles Building Corporation. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Faton, Memorial Volume, photo (Lyceum Hall), P. 137 Pitkin, Visnettes, p. Wadlin, Concerning the Past, Chapter LXIXII 1906 map ioaciBeppeot, i Roada ne Canbli aae odyi 91044. 900n0 volume, pp.
43-55 20M-2/80 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Commmity: Form No: MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Reading C-172 Property Name: 600-622 Main St. Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE unknown, being hidden by the alterations. The division between the second and third floors is a course of decorative brickwork. limestone belt course extends like a lintel across the tops of the oxteonds e a A third-floor windows, but above this is a decorated band of semi- circular blind arches infilled with more ornamental brickwork. The arches are positioned over the third-floor windows, giving the il- lusion of round-headed windows here. Still more decorative brick- work forms the cornice. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION The "asonic Bloch (also knowm as the !. F.
Charles Building) is simificant (1) as an example of how business replaced resicences elong lain Street in the late 19th century; (2) for its long connection with a number of Reading businesses and professional men, particulary Millard F. Charles; (3) for its prominent location, on a busy downtown corner in Reading Souare; and (4) as an example of the Second Reneissance Pevival style. It retains interrity of location, general design, settins, materials, workmanship, and feelins, and meets Criteria A, B, and C of the Mational Register. Staple to Inventory form at bottom 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 OMB No.1024-0018 Exp.
10-31-84 For NPS use only received s/t/rt date entered Page Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Reading Multiple Resource Area Middlesex County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 51. House at 206 West Street Entered in the NatIonal Register 52. House at 242 Summer Avenuentered in the National Register 53. House at 322 Haven Street Istered in the National Register 54. House at 483 Summer AvenueEntered in the. National Register 55. House at 1177 Main Street Entered in the National Register 56. Lewis House Irtered in the National Register 57. Manning, Charles, House Entered in the National Register 58. Manning, Jacob, House Entered in the National Registor 59. Masonic Block Intered in the National Register 60.
Nichols, Daniel, Homestead Entered in tho National Regietex Date/Signature teeper Ailoubigun 749-51 Attest fReeper AelruBye 7-19-8 Attest Keeper AeloreByen 1-19-6 Attest faseeper delmeByan 219 Attest f'Keeper dloueBgun 71964 Attest fReeper AilreByu +1954 Attest fKeeper AilmeDzua 2-19-54 Attest Heeper DeloeaByen 212-84 Attest Freeper DeloueByur 7-19-11 Attest Aeeper AelmeaAyu 7-19-84 Attest WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Ry.#84002746 Masonic Block (Reading MRA) Middlesex County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: -sample Reviewer's comments: request Working No. JUN 4,1984 Fed. Reg.
Date: 2/6/85 Date Due: _ 7-5-84 12-19-54 Endesred In theAction: LACCEPT 719-87 National Register -RETURN_ _REJECT- Federal Agency: _ Jappeal -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 -J 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 Loriginal 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 Iother (A R TOPE 2T152 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 BayBank Middlesex 200 Haven SX. STREET 120.03 PLAT 75 168.27 259.82 50,617 40 177.21 - 0T.02 WOBURN .67.00 9,500 80.74. 23 ZEETI 39 157,25 26.60 23,657 gq. r7. 22 33.TE 15,818 8q.Ft. 24 100.0 02. 100.0 33.41 32.00 73.80 87,8G0 Sag. Ft 25 150.01 65 161.0 182.95 11.015 69.ft. 21 1341 134.08 Sq.Ft. 134.59 9,866 5q.Ft. 20 134.72 93.63 132.00 6a 5 50.0 Rt: 27.7 11,284 8g. Ft. 19 IT8.13 134.87 21,070 sq.Ft. 68a. 5t.p 18 186.03 HAVEN See Lot 35 Plat 15 100.0 23,300Lint 87.30 333.33 43 conspagational Church 12,565 Bq. Ft. 44 140.18 251.40 265 30,365 5q.Ft. 45 144.40 66.65 74.35 8,235 9,395 3q. F4. 23.0 STREET 64.55 9505 Sq. Ft. 10 64.22 179.69 182.19 8b 16:30 235 4125 128.93 156.32 STREET 13,280 Bq. Ft.
8 106.69 119 00.22 210 73.75 147.90 74.15 9,590 Bq. Ft. 13 145.25 7,300: 14a Bg. Ft. 140.02 7,799 5q. Ft. 14 186.43 24.76 119.0 10,728 7 5q.Ft. 8a B69 130.00 6353 F4. 5a 122.30 9,470 Saa. Ft. 4 58.95 ,36.21 1,65 hAs 75.25 64.34 *12.03 S9.F4. 6 . 3,412 s4-. 6T.22 13225 53.20 32.00 12,997 Sq.Ft. 5 6418 72 FT.3 .7/5-10 cead 2901 130.0 40 102.20 3417 126.40974 803 6g. Ft. STREI 82.09 SANBORN / 64.90 8o 14b 17B°693 82.65 35.94 12.12 178.70 29124 83.23 16 15 I7A 8,284 8q. Ft. 88. 49.32 1555 15 Right of way 172.64 31,673 Sq. Ft. 180 BT. 60 6o0 -1.60 -0.50 31,54L T8ge STREET 290 50.31 MAIN PLAT 600-622 Main St. #C-172 Lot 01 64, Assessors Map 1983 100° 6b 7BG fag. 5t 6c 37 Sq.Ft. PLAT Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000290