Nomination for Building at 138--142 Portland Street

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

NPS Form 10-900 (3-82) OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms Type all entries-complete applicable sections 1. Name For NPS use only AUG received date entered SEP 6 1985 5 1985 historic 138-142 Portland Street (use for publication) and/or common 85 Merrimac Street 2. Location street & number 138-142 Portland Street n/anot for publication city, town Boston n/a vicinity of 025 025 state MA 3.

Classification Category Ownership district public xbuilding(s) * private structure both site Public Acquisition object NA in process being considered code county Suffolk code Status - occupied - unoccupied X work in progress Accessible X yes: restricted .- yes: unrestricted _no Present Use agriculture X commercial educational _ entertainment government industrial .military museum park private residence religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name 138 Portland Street Limited Partnership c/o Hamlin Collier & Company street & number 10 Liberty Square city, town Boston n/a_ vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state MA courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Suffolk County Registry of Deeds street & number Pemberton Square city, town Boston MA state 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys titi.100ston Landmarks Commissior Central Business District has this property been determined eligible? - yes -no date June, 1980 _ federal state _ county X local depository for survey records Boston Landmarks Commission, City Hall city, town Boston MA state See Continuation Sheet 7. Description | 138-142 Portland St., Boston, MA Condition - excellent X good fair _deteriorated _ ruins unexposed Check one unaltered X altered Check one * original site moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

n/a 138-142 Portland Street is a five story brick commercial building with Beaux Arts ornamentation. It is located in the historic "Bulfinch Triangle", an area which includes approximately half of the triangular street pattern laid out by the architect Charles Bulfinch in 1808. Originally a mill pond, the area is now commonly known as the North Station area. Surrounding 138-42 Portland Street are 4-and 6-story commercial buildings dating from the late nineteenth century, many of which housed companies involved in the woodworking and furniture industries during this period. Because of its proximity to the rail- roads, the area surrounding 138-42 Portland Street developed as a center for manufacturers and wholesale dealers. 138-42 Portland Street stands directly on the sidewalk at the intersection of Portland, Traverse and Merrimac Streets.

The northwest wall is a blank party wall which currently faces a parking lot. The five-story building has a trapezoidal floor plan. It is five bays wide on Portland and Merrimac Streets and three bays wide on Traverse Street. Two corners of the building--at the intersections of Portland and Traverse Streets, and Merrimac and Traverse Streets--are rounded. The building,"faced with brick, has a combination wood and steel frame, which are the original materials. The building has a flat composition roof.' There is a full basement with an original concrete foundation: Three of the building's facades are ornamented in the Beaux-Arts style. Major elements include a bracketed cornice, curved ox-eye windows, carved stone cartouches over the windows, brick pilasters and ornamented brick spandrel panels.

With the exception of the northwest wall, each facade of 138-142 Portland Street is very similar. The ground floor storefronts have plate glass display windows, transom lights, and unusual lights below the sill line. Located where the kickpanels would normally be found, these lights originally provided natural light to the basement through interior "area ways" at the perimeter of the first The kick panel lights and "areaways" were covered during the ca. 1950 renovations, and remain covered. Floors 2 though 4 are treated as one vertical unit, with floor 5 treated as a separate unit. On floors 2 through 4, 3-story brick pilasters separate bays comprised of paired windows capped at floor 4 with segmentally arched openings. A limestone cornice line at the fifth-floor sill level incorporates limestone key- stones for the segmental arches mentioned above.

Above this cornice line, the fifth floor consists of paired windows articulating each bay, with a heavy bracketed cornice above capping each facade. Stone-framed curved ox-eye windows highlight the windows of the fifth floor. (see continuation sheet ) NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form OMB No.1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use only received date entered Continuation sheet 138-142 Portland Street Item number Boston, MA 7, 6 Page 1 On the Portland Street northeast facade, a horizontally elongated window, with a cartouche incorporated into its stone frame, occupies a central position at the 5th-floor level and emphasizes a three-bay wide stone architrave on floors two through four below.

Vertically-pivoted wood sash windows set in wood frames are found on the 2nd floor while floors 3-5 have paired wood l/1 double-hung windows. The building originally had an open plan on all floors. The ground floor has steel columns with capitals. The second floor has steel columns with capitals and pressed tin ceilings. Floors 3-5 were originally unfinished space and currently serve as partitioned offices. The original interior stairway at the Portland Street entrance leads to the second floor and has stone treads and risers, paneled wood wainscoting, decorative plaster arches, consoles and cornice molding. A steel spiral stairway in a circular brick shaft is located at the southwest corner of the building. A skylight is at the top of the shaft.

The building retains almost all of its original exterior fabric intact, much of which on the the ground floor was covered, until recently, by an aluminum 1950's facade. Other changes introduced ca. 1950 included the addition of a steel stairway from the ground floor to the basement and a new entrance at the corner of Portland and Traverse Streets. Also, the original Portland Street entrance to the 2nd floor stairway was altered with some loss of historic fabric. The 1983/4 rehabilitation has, however, completed an important and thoraugh restoration of the building, using the incentives of the Economic Recovery Tax Act. 6. Representation in Existing Surveys 2) Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth Of Massachusetts June, 1980 state Massachusetts Historical Commission Boston, MA no 8.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance 138-142 Portland Street, Boston, MA Period prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 X 1800-1899 X 1900- Areas of Significance - Check and justify below - archeology-prehistoric community planning - archeology-historic conservation agriculture economics X architecture education art engineering x commerce exploration/settlement communications industry invention landscape architecture law literature military music philosophy politics/government Specific dates 1896 Builder

Statement of significance

/Architect Stephen R. H.=Codman Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) religion science sculpture social/ humanitarian theater transportation other (specify) The building meets National Register Criterion A because it was the home of the Boston, Branch office of the National Casket Company during the formative years of that nationally important company's operations. The National Casket Company was formed in 1890 through amalgamation of the Hamilton, Lemmon, Arnold Company of Pittsburgh, PA; the Chappel, Chase, Maxwell Company of Oneida, NY; and the Stein Manufacturing Company of Syracuse, NY. Within the same year, the company purchased the Boston Casket Company, among others, and was on its way to becoming a national leader in the field of casket manufacturing.

Although incor- porated in the state of New York with its headquarters originally in Oneida, the company's Boston branch was of central importance throughout its history- The building meets National Register Criterion C because it is an excel- lent example of commercial Beaux-Arts classicism, and is one of only two buildings of that style in Boston's North Station area. Portland Street is an excellent example of Beaux-Arts commercial archi- tecture, a style which was introduced in the United States at the 1893 World's Fair. Borrowing elements from classical Rome, the Beaux-Arts styte was taught. at the French Ecole des Beaux Arts and was brought to this country by Paris-trained architects.

The ornate detail and classical motifs of 134-42 Portland Street mark it as an early example of the commercial Beaux-Arts style; a design trend which soon became very popular for large-scale and public buildings. At the time of the company's formation in 1890, the Boston branch of the National Casket Company moved into the former headquarters of the Stein Manufacturing Company at. 137 Portland Street. When the Boston Casket + 13% Po2ED Company was absorbed later in 1890, the owner of that company, P.B. Heintz, became the manager of National Casket's Boston branch office. Heintz would go on to play a key role in the company's rapid growth in ALEL future years. When the building at 138-142 Portland Street was completed in 1896, the Boston branch of the National Casket Company moved from its space across the street at 137 Portland Street into the new building.

location, in the midst of Boston's woodworking and furniture industries, was particularly appropriate for a casket firm. The company apparently had its sales room on the second floor with a private entrance and (see continuation sheet ) 9.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References see continuation Sheet 10. Geographical Data 6000 square feet Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name Boston South UT M References Quadrangle scale 1:25,000 AL19/ |3|310/210,01 L469 , 20501 Zone Easting Northing cLL LILILL EL GLU BLILLIL LIILu Easting Northing -LL LILLL LILu FLu LILu HLULLIL LLILL Verbal boundary description and justification see continuation sheet List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state NA code n/a county n/a code n/a state code county code 11. Form Prepared By name/title organization William Mackostie & Byrd Wood, Ipf8pliEles Sarah Zimmerman, Director of Preserva- Boston Landmarks Commission tion Planning Massachusetts Historical Commission. date 2/20/85 street & number 80 Boylston Street telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town Boston state MA 02116 12.

State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national - state X local As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89 665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. State Historic Preservation Officer signature Vaume A. lalmage title Exeeutve Directar ESHPO, MHC For NPS use only daro fuly 15,1985 I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register 'telase Nationa] Hegister date 9/5/85- fkeoeor of he aina rosaler. Attest: date Chief of Registration U.S.

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1983 0 - 419-311 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 138-142 Portland Street Boston, MA Item number 8 OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use only received date entered Page 1 elaborately ornamented stairway at 142 Portland Street leading up to that space. Storage apparently was located on floors three through five. These quarters would remain the home of the Boston branch of the company for the next three decades. By the turn of the century, the capital stock of the National Casket Company had been increased to $6,000,000 and plants had been opened in Nashville, Louisville, Indianapolis and Chicago. With the acguisition in 1906 of W.

Lockhart and Company of Cambridge, Massachusetts--until then the leader in casket manufacturing in New England--the Boston branch of National Casket, headquartered in 142 Portland Street, became the largest casket manufacturer and supplier in New England. In 1919 the Boston branch of the company moved its executive offices to 3 Park Street, but 142 Portland Street continued to occupy the company's primary listing in the city's directory and serve as the primary sales facility for the branch. In 1922, P.B. Heintz, the manager at 142 Portland Street for more than 20 years, became the president of National Casket and moved the company's headquarters from Pittsburgh to Boston. Under Heintz's leadership, the company posted gross earnings in 1925 of $5.2 million, and had sales branches in 26 major cities east of the Rocky Mountains.

The company was by this time the largest manufacturer of caskets and funeral supplies in the country, a position it would occupy for nearly the next half century. Although leaving 142 Portland Street and moving into the old Governor Ames Mansion at the corner of Commonwealth and Massachusetts Avenues in 1927, the Boston office continued to serve as National Casket's national headquarters until 1969, when the company was purchased by Walco National of New York City. The elaborate design of 138 Portland Street reflects the success and expansion of the National Casket Company- in 1896 by Catherine E. Tarbell, and the Boston branch of the National Casket Company moved in as tenants soon after its completion.

Located directly across the street at the time of the building's construction, the Boston office no doubt paid close attention to the progress of the new, lavishly ornamented building and possibly had some input in the design. By 1906 the company was the largest manufacturer and supplier of caskets in New England. 138 Portland Street continued to serve as headquarters for the branch until 1919, and as the main sales facility until 1927. (See continuation sheet) 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 138-142 Portland Street Boston, MA Item number 8, 10 OMB No.1024-0018 Exp.

10-31-84 For NPS use only received date entered Page 2 Relative to other buildings in its immediate vicinity, 138-142 Portland Street is extremely prominent as a result of its high level of ornamen- tation. The stone architrave, ornamental window frames and cartouche; the bracketed cornice; and the ornamented brick spandrel panels on all three facades provide a texture and relief which contrast dramatically with the relatively austere buildings nearby. It is clearly a building which was designed to stand out from its surroundings. 138-142 Portland Street was designed by Stephen R. H. Codman, an archi- tect who designed several other buildings in Boston including those at 166-174 Portland Street and 105-119 Merrimac Street in the North Station area.

Codman went on in the early 20th century to form a partnership with the distinguished architect Desire Despradelle, who was the Rotch professor of architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Among the most notable of Codman and Despradelle's commissions were the 1911 Peter Bent Brigham Hospital and the 1906 Berkeley Building at 414- 434 Boylston The latter was described in 1908 by Architects and Builders' Magazine as "decidedly novel in design in this country". 10.

Geographical Data Beginning at the corner of the structure at the southeast corner of Portland and Traverse Streets, running approximately 64 feet southeastto the southwest corner of Traverse and Merrimac Streets, then running approximately 92 feet northwest along Merrimac Street, then turning and running approximately 100 feet northeast along the party wall to Portland Street, then turning and running approximately 72 feet southeast to the beginning point. The nominated area includes only the building as it is in its urban setting. Archaeological Potential: The property is located in the Mill Pond area of the original Shawmut Peninsula. This area was filled between 1804 and 1835. While the possibility of early 19th- century archaeological deposits does exist, subsequent development of the parcel in the late 19th c. most assuredly resulted in its destruction.

Therefore, no significant material is anticipated. NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form OMB No.1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use only received date entered Continuation sheet 138-142 Portland Street Item number 9 1 Page Baston, MA Bourne, Frank, A. "On the work of the late Desire Despradelle", Architectural Record, Vol. 34, 1913. Page 185. Swales, Francis, S., "Master Draftsman, XI, Desire Despradelle, 1862-1912", Pencil Points, Vol. 6, May 1925. Page 59. Stone, Orra L., Massachusetts Industries, Their Inception and Growth, S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., Boston, Chicago, 1930. Withey, Henry F. Biographical Dictionary of American Architects, Hennessey and Ingalls, Inc., LA, 1970.

Moody, John L., Moody's Manuel of Corporation Securities, Moody Publishing Co., New York, Fifth Annual Edition, 1904, 1921, 1922, 1927. Boston Directory, Sampson, Murdock and Co., Boston, MA, 1890, 1891, 1895, 1897, 1900, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910, 1915, 1919, 1920, 1924, 1926, 1928. Lynden, Donlyn, The City Observed: Boston-A Guide to the Architecture of the Hub, Random House, New York, 1982. - History of American Funeral Directing, Habenstein Bulfin Printers, Inc. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1955. Telephone interview with George Lemke, Casket Manufacturers Association, Evanston, IL, August 25, 1983. Telephone interview with Rudy Sanson, Gulf & Western Industries, Inc., New York, NY, August 26, 1983. Telephone interview with James Lynam, Walco National Corporation, New York, NY, August 26, 1983. Telephone interview with Spencer Hackett, Pittsburgh, PA, August 29,1983.

(Hackett was a member of the Board of Directors, National Casket Company and Walco National Corporation.) Architects Directory, William I. Comstock, Publisher, New York, 1903. _"The Berkeley Building, Codman and Despradelle, Architects", Architects' and Builders' Magazine, Volume 9, No. 4, January, 1908. Boston Landmarks Commission, Building Information Form, 138-142 Portland Street. - 138-42 Merrimac Street Boston, MA Scale: 1" = 100' UTM: 19/330200/4692050 950 950 1200 1200 1200 050 19040 7630 PARKING 10,473 1000 1000 1000 yooa 1260 997 1000 1660 679 TTS 7905 8 9 1999 LOWELL SQUARE 145 1875 ac 1975 6853 290/59 1020169 20122 139 13> 3113 30 8443 MERRIMAC 5495 837 1532 3960 25,980 4086 13981S 13381S 19,800 180 180A 10 8800 19,000 9°0 148 876000 * 1AO TRAVERSE 2667 3116 12,384 1° 80 82 CAUSEWAY NORTH M.B.T.A. 16 207 7986 205 205A 201 9424 1993911 CRESCENT CT.

274 3095 3095 264 1773708 13 2037 256 5083 31° 159 3483 157 2038 232 153,730 2038 220 226 7627 224 222 3829 PARKING 2289 1354924 6 1620 445/ 453 420 875 1,848 190 1850 8036 1530 PARKING 338 770] 4051 STATION TRANSIT STATION 4524 18° 2887 3528° 2594161 252030 13964 160 6090 2030 1353 1353 2030 1353 .134A 8120 4090 4043 120 205 8120 197 195 5075 5075 44 46 9° 0981 179 173 14,547 g° 3915 1142 7570 13381S SSI2SI 06562 ALSOHLNY 1008 O, TUM 133815 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Building 138--142 Portland Street Suffolk County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: sample request REI=I 85002015 Entered in tne National Jogister AUG 6| 1985 Working No.. Fed. Reg.

Date: 2-4-84 Date Due: 7/5/83 Action: LACCEPT. 2/20/8 9-5-§s _ RETURN _ 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 J moved date 8.

Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) -summary paragraph J completeness clarity J applicable criteria J iustification of areas checked _J relating significance to the resource J context - relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception J 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 title date 13.

Other J 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 ERAL BER IC CO.

ERAL RE iflex elle S.COHEN & SC 138-142 Portland Street Boston, MA Leslie Larson, photographer 6 Joy Street Boston, MA 02108 9/84 Photo 1 of 6 Corner of Traverse and Portland Streets Photographer facing northwest Photo By Lealie Larson 6 Joy St B ton 02108 138-142 Portland Street Boston, MA Leslie Larson, photographer 6 Joy Street Boston, MA 02108 Photo 2 of 6 Portland Street facade Photographer facing west 9/84 Photo By Leslie Lerson 6 Joy St Boston 02108 NNAC sI S.COHE Allright Parking 138-142 Portland Street Boston, MA Leslie Larson, photographer 9/84 5 Joy Street Boston, MA 02108 Photo 3 of 6 Northwest wall of building Photographer facing southeast Photo By Leslie Larson 6 Joy St Boston 02108 Reataurant 138-142 Portland Street Boston, MA Leslie Larson, photographer 9/84 6 Joy Street Boston, MA 02108 Photo 4 of 6 Corner of Merrimac and Traverse Streets Photographer facing north Photo By Lesiie Larson 6 Joy St Boston 02108 138-142 Portland Street Boston, MA Leslie Larson, photographer 9/84 6 Joy Street Boston, MA 02108 Photo 5 of 6 Merrimac and Traverse Street facades Photographer facing north 1OLIV DRAI 10 LIBERTY SQUARE BUILDING 55 Kilby Street Boston, MA photo: 2/14/81 photographer and negative filed at: Leslie Larson 6 Joy Street, Boston, MA view of drain pipe holder, Water St.

facade photo #5 of 6 ADE 138-142 Portland Street Boston, MA Leslie Larson, photographer 6 Joy Street Boston, MA 02108 9/83 Photo 6 of 6 Portland Street entrance, interior stairway . Photo By Loolie Larson 6 Joy St Boston 02108