Nomination for US Post Office--Greenfield Main

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-306 (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OFTHE INTERIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES RECEIVED NOV 6 INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED FOR FEDERAL PROPERTIES SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 20 1985 3 4 NAME HISTORIC United States Post Office AND/OR COMMON Greenfield Main Post Office LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 442 Main Street CITY.

TOWN Greenfield STATE Massachusetts 01301 CLASSIFICATION N/A VICINITY OF CODE 0450 N/ ALNOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT First Congressional District COUNTY CODE Franklin and Hampshire 01l CATEGORY DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP XPUBLIC _PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION N/A_IN PROCESS BEING CONSIDERED STATUS X OCCUPIED -UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO PRESENT USE -AGRICULTURE MUSEUM -COMMERCIAL _PARK _EDUCATIONAL -PRIVATE RESIDENCE ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS XGOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC -INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY _OTHER: AGENCY REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS: (If applicable) New England Field Real Estate and Buildings Office STREET & NUMBER 1050 Waltham Street CITY. TOWN STATE Lexington N/A- VICINITY OF Massachusetts 02173 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC.

Franklin County Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER 425. Main Street CITY. TOWN Greenfield REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS STATE Massachusetts 01301 TITLE None DATE -FEDERAL STATE COUNTY _LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY. TOWN STATE 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION _EXCELLENT _GOOD -FAIR _DETERIORATED -RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE _UNALTERED XALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

Main Street in Greenfield serves the principal business and commercial districts and continues on as a wide thoroughfare, tree lined with several municipal, religious and public buildings grouped in an area within which the Post Office is centered. Important neighboring buildings include the Greenfield Public Library which is housed in a fine residence known as the Leavitt Hovey House, built in 1797 and designed by the noted architect, Asher Benjamin. This structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and together with the Franklin County Court House, the First Church of Christian Science and the Post Office establishes an area of architectural and historical importance.

The Post Office has a two story center portion which is the original building built in 1915; one story addition added in 1939 to both sides blend harmoniously and continue the architectural theme and constructuion of the original structure. A granite base supports brick walls laid in English bond with recessed arched panels containing the first floor windows across the front. Broad granite steps with wrought iron rails lead to the front entrance which is the dominant architectural feature. The arched entranceway is executed in stone and is highly sculptured, centered between two pairs of fluted pilasters which extend to the top of the second floor windows and support a pediment with a denticulated cornice which is continued around the building and is surmounted by a brick parapet.

A stone belt course at the second floor window sill line continues as a coping for the later one story wings. The entrance also features free standing cast iron lighting standards with round globes; these mounted on granite piers on each side of the entrance steps. The building is set back from the street and is attractively landscaped. The lobby was completely changed and renovated in 1939 to accommodate the increase in post office activity. Nevertheless, it reflects the architectural dignity and intent of the exterior. There is a terrazzo floor, polished granite wainscot, stained woodwork and the original vestibule with curved marble panelling, original light fixture and the marble interior entrance surround was retained. Featured in the lobby is a work of sculpture created in 1941 by Helen Sardeau.

The work consists of three figures, separately mounted, executed in bas-relief and made of bronze.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 -1500-1599 _ 1600-1699 -1700-1799 -1800-1899 X1900- AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW -ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _CONSERVATION -LAW AGRICULTURE XARCHITECTURE -ECONOMICS _LITERATURE .EDUCATION -MILITARY -ART -ENGINEERING -MUSIC _COMMERCE _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT __PHILOSOPHY _COMMUNICATIONS _INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT INVENTION -RELIGION -SCIENCE _SCULPTURE -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN THEATER« -TRANSPORTATION (SPECIEVI SPECIFIC DATES Built: 1915 Enlarged: 1939 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

BUILDER/ARCHITECT Oscar Wenderoth, Sup. Architect Louis A. Simon, Sup. Architect This buiding, designed in 1914 under the administration of Supervising Architect Oscar Wenderoth, reflects the architectural goals of the previous administration which favored stylistic elements from the French Beaux-Arts and Neo-Classical traditions. The trend was to create small post office buildings which would become the most architecturally important structure within the community. This property preserved through the years and enchanced by later additions achieves a dignified presence through the use of ornament, symmetry, and fine materials. Significant to the city as a contributing building, it also characteristically registers federal policy concerning post office construction in small towns.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES History of Post Office Construction 1900-1940, July, 1982 Craig, Lois, ed., The Federal Presence: Architecture, Politics and Symbols in the United States Government Büilding, Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1979 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY UTM REFERENCES A 1,8 59,70,3,0 ZONE EASTING CLL VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION 14,711,713,1,01 NORTHING BLJLL EASTING DLUJ LLILLL NORTHING The site is rectangular in shape and contains approximately 30,268 feet that is located on the Northeast corner of Main and Franklin Streets. LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE 11 FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE Ellsworth H. Kent, Architect ORGANIZATION SULLIVAN DESIGN GROUP, INC.

STREET & NUMBER CITY OR TOWN 44 Adams Street Braintree DATE July 15, 1985 TELEPHONE (617) 848-1545 STATE Massachusetts 02184 CERTIFICATION OF NOMINATION STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER RECOMMENDATION YES NO NONE X Valeue A lalmace 9|1|85 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OSFICER SIGNATURE In compliance with Executive Order 11593, I hereby nominate this property to the National Register, certifying that the State Historic Preservation Officer has been allowed 90 days in which to present the nomination to the State Review Board and to evaluate its significance. The evaluated level of significance isNationalState X Local. FEDEBAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE TITLE 1. Col Director, Office of Real DATE 10.30-85 Estate FOR NPS USE ONLY 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Patuck Andus DATE DIRECIOR.

OFFICE OF ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION ATTEST:/ penge DATE 12/20/85 12-20-85- KCEFCH OF AL RESIeTER GPO 899-214 Fire Station Bank Public Library (Leavitt-Hovey House) Commercial Buildings All Souls Church Hope Street United States Post Office - Greenfield, Massachusetts Apartments 192.2' 161.37' Municipal Parking Lot 160. 40st office 184.2' Main Street Franklin County Court House Residential Franklin Street Arts of Council Franklin County YMCA First Church of Christian Science WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Ry.#85003224 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET United States Post Office--Greenfield Main Post Office Franklin County MASSACHUSETTS Substantire Review resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Working No._ NOV/61985 Fed. Reg.

Date: _ Date Due: _ 185 -12/21/83 Action: ACCEPT 12-20-85 _ RETURN REJECT. Federal Agency: US PS Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: *sample -request Lappeal L NR decision Recom./Criteria Accept C Savrse mode in a pronunent institational bldg. Datepi Discipline architectural History 12-20-85 _ see continuation sheet Nomination returned for: technical corrections cited below substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition Status Accessible Present Use 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 Jruins unexposed Check one - unaltered altered Check one -original site J moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completenessel 3 VOV clarity applicable criteria iustification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 110.

Geographical Data XAcreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification authough it is not Plense pronicl aueage lnived fromotwlich is given bookase of 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 US-POST OFFIC Main Post Office Greenfield, MA Greenfield Main Post Office Greenfield, MA David R. Hooker Sept. 15, 1982 Earl R. Flansburgh and Associates Front elevation MAIN POST OFFICE GREENFIELD, MA Greenfield Main Post Office Greenfield, MA David R. Hooker Sept. 15, 1983 Ear1 R.

Flansburgh and Associates Front elevation. Right view U-S-POST O MAIN POST OFFICE GREENFIELD, MA Greenfield Main Post Office Greenfield, MA David R. Hooker Sept. 15, 1983 Ear1 R. Flansburgh and Associates Front elevation. Left view GATES POSTA SERVICE GELINO FIELD REAL ESTATE AND BUILDINGS OFFICE P.O. Box 324 Lexington, MA 02173-0324 June 17, 1985 MEW EHCLAND FIELD REAL ESTATE & 91.006. OFFICE LEXINGTON. MA 02173 JuL 1 951 AM°85 RECEIVED U.S POSTAL SERVICE The Honorable Norman Thedeman Town Manager, Town of Greenfield Town Hall 14 Court Square Greenfield, MA 01301 Dear Town Manager Thedeman: The U. S. Postal Service in conjunction with the Massachusetts Historical Commission in Boston has evaluated the Main Post Office in Greenfield and has determined it is significant from a historical viewpoint. In view of the above evaluation, the U.S.

Postal Service intends to nominate this building to the National Register of Historic Places. We would, prior to our taking formal action, appreciate receiving your concurrence. If you concur with our proposed action, kindly return a signed copy of this letter in the enclosed envelope. Sincerely. da,oregor Gillleland General Manager Enclosure Hamra JPC/1jr PECENED WATES POSTA SERVICE UNITED UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, DC 20260 October 30, 1985 Ms. Carol D. Shull Chief of Registration National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Department of Interior Washington, D.C. 20240-1002 Dear Ms. Shull: The Postal Service hereby submits a nomination for the postoffice located at 442 Main Street, Franklin/Hampshire County, Greenfield, Massachusetts. If you have any questions concerning this nomination, please call me at 202/268-3107.

Office of Real Estate Enclosure NOV 6 1985