BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
AREA FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTQN, MA 02108 FORM NO. 28/132-2 PHOTO: (3x3" or 3x5", black & white) staple to left side of form Photo number 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. Town Brookline MRA 15 and 27 St. Paul Street Address104 Aspinwall Ave. Historic Name St. Paul's Church, Cha- pe1 (now Parish:Hall),and Parish House Use: Present Chüreh, Parish Hall,n Parish House Original ChurghguChapel and Par- ish House DESCRIPTION: DateChurch-1851-2; Parish Halle1858 Parish House- 1895 Source Bigelow, A Sketeh of the History of St.
Paul's Churc StyleGothic Architect Church and Parish Hall- Richard Upjohn; Parish House-Julius Exterior wall fabricSchweinfurth Roxbury Puddingston Outbuildings_. gutted by fire, rebuilt in 1979-80; roof replaced and solar panels in- stalled. Recorded by Carla Benka/Greer Hardwicke OrganizationBrookline Historical Com. Date March, 1985 Major alterations (with dates) original chapel enlarged in 1880 by Peabody and Stearns; porch added; 1895-porc added to chapel; 1944-small chapel added to sanctuary; 1976-chureh Moved Date Approx. acreage 30,677 sq.It._ Setting_In prominent location at thr intersection of Aspinwall ave. and St.
Paul St in residential area of mostly two and multi-family uni1 Boston South Quadrangle (Staple additional sheets here)UIM Reference: 19/325460/4690180 Map #: 2 ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the commmity.) St. Paul's Church was designed by Richard Upjohn in the Gothic style. It has been called one of the earliest and perhaps the most important of the first gen- eration of pisturesque village churches in the Boston area (Tucci). - Its asym- metrical arrangement with the tower on the northwest side and the entrance on thi south 1s typical of the eccelesiological movement in the Episcopal church of which Upjohn was a leading proponent.
This revivalist movement emphasized func- tional rather than artistic principle in architecture and the idea of purifying the Church by restoring its medieval traditions. Constructed of Roxbury puddingstone laid in blocks of irregular shape and size, IISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or stat listory and how the building reiates to the development of the commnity. The congregation of St. Paul's Episcopal Church was founded in 1849 by William and Augustus Aspinwall (Augustus gave the land on which the church was originall built) and Harrison Fay (a major financial backer of the.
congregation) .Their efforts "brought together a remarkable group of men - socially prominent leaders in professional or business life with high integrity and a rare sense of steward ship in the use of wealth." Services were first held in the town hall in Brook=: line Village and in October,1849 the Parish was legally incorporated and the name of St. Paul's Church in Brookline was adopted. In May 1859, the corporatio. accepted the offer of Mr. Aspinwall of a building lot and Fay and Aspinwall pro- ceeded to "obtain from Richard Upjohn, architect of Trinity Church in New York City, plans for a Gothic church of the same style." The cornerstone was laid on Jully 1851, and by December 1852 the building was completed and paid for. It was consecrated December 23, 1852. In 1858 a committee was appointed to collect sub- sciptions for a chapel; Mr.
Aspinwall again donated the land and the chapel (now parish hall) was built from Upjohn's plans. Peabody and Stearns's plans en- larged chapel in 1880, lengthening it to make room for the Sunday school. A porch was also added. (Peabody and Stearns also designed the rectory in 1886- se 130 Aspinwall Avenue.) Expansion took place once again in 1892 at which time th Rector submitted plans for a building and cloister to accomodate a boys' choir, a quartet choir having gone out of fashion in the Episcopal service. Ground was broken in 1895 for the construction of a parish house at the cost of just over $16,600. Julius A. Schweinfurth designed the building wiich was joined to the church by a simple stone connection.
In the parish house were "the infant class BTLO A andeor ntoeame opiicaron ator,dateandpubishe the Rector's stuc Tucci, Douglass Sgand, Built in Boston, New York Graphic Society, 1978 Bigelow, Robert Payne, A Sketch of St. Paul's Church in Brookline, 1949 Brookline Chronicle- vol. 6, p. 2, June 7, 1879 1a Churon in Brookline, 234 10, p. 324, October 13, 1883 p. 1, February 8, 1896 vol, 27, p.3, October 6, 1900; p. vol. 29, p. 12, December 27, , 1900, p. 3, December 1, 2900 1902 vol. 31, p. 9, December 24, 1904 File on St. Paul's Church, Brookline Public Library Pierson, William H., American Buildings and Their Architects, Boubleday and Co., 1978 10M - 7/82- INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Commmity: Brookline Form No: 28/132-2 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Property Name: St.
Paul's Church Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Architectural Significance the building features such Gothic elements as tripartite arches, trefoil - windows, stone tracery, and steeply pitched roof. Window openings are framed by simple colonnettes and hood moldings; the west end of the church has two balancing single light traceried windows; above in the point of the gable is a hooded oculus with tracery. - broached spire. Corbel tabling and pilasters are seen at the belfry level which has simple decorated tracery in its pointed arch openings. Fire gutted the interior of the church and destroyed all but two of the stain glass windows. The sanctuary has been rebuilt with little exterior changes except for the solar panels which have been placed on the south side of the roof. to collect, distribute, and store warm air in the church.
The chapel, now parish hall, was also designed by Upjohn and enlarged by Peabody and Stearns in 1880. It too was built of Roxbury puddingstone and retains its priginal polychromatic, striped slate roof. Lancet arch windows complement those of the sanctuary. The entry porch was a later addition. The parish house was built between the chapel and sanctuary and connects to the latter by means of a simple enclosed walkway with diamond pane trefoil windows and slate roof. Its original doors were replaced in 1936 by a pair designed by architect and parishioner, J. Lovell Little. Historical Significance and retiring room; and choir room with wardrobes. (This configuration was changed in the 1920s at which time the partition between the choir room and infant classroom was removed and then then chapel (now Parish Hall) was provided with a stage.
All this work was performed to accomodate the increasing activities of the congregation.) St. Paul's Church is the oldest religious structure in Brookline, having been built when only three other churches existed (Harvard Congregational, First Parish, and Baptist, all since demolished. ) and when Brookline's population of 2500 lived among scattered residences and marke gardens. It has been the parish of such established and distinguished families as the Aspin- walls, Littels, former president of Harvard University Augustus Lowell and his sister Amy; Henry Chase, Desmond Fitzgerald, and J. Lovell Little and it is the only ecclesiastical work of Richard Upjohn in Brookline. The history of its buildings reflect the social, economic, and iiturgical changes of the times and the ability of the congregation to respond to them. St.
Paul's church derives its primary significance by meeting criterion C as a fine example of a picturesque village church and the work of Richard Upjohn. and Julius Schweinfurth. It also meets NR criterionA, reflecting the influence of the ecclesiological movement of the mid 19th century. 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 recelved9-4-85 date entered Page Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Brookline MRA MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 71. Saint Paul's Church, Chapel, and Parish House 72. Saint Paul's Rectory 73. Sargent's Pond 74. Second Unitarian Church 75. Spurr, Eliphalet, House 76. Standish, James H., House 77. Strathmore Road Historic District 78.
Toussaint, Winand, House 79. Town Stable 80.
Tuckerman, William F., House Enbared in thefreeper Iatinna] Pegister Attest Date/Signature AelonByen 1/2185 Enbered in the Wetioze1 Register f°Keeper Delon Age 10/12/85 Attest Entered 1m i tlie National Regiater bReeper deloByen 14185 Enbered the National Register Earbeased Iw beve Mathonal Register Attest fieeper Attest 6keeper DelonaByan 101e71o5 Aulmeßyun 102218 Attest Eabared in the Iethoml Hegister Akeeper dulumßgun 1f2hsi Attest Eatered in the Jeldone1 Jegiater tKeeper DelonaByer 10/22181 Eabered L13 i Mational Hegiater Attest Keeper Delußyan10/2181 Terbeaed la the Hasanat Hogirber Attest tKeeper AeluByen 10/2181 Attest Entered in the Natlomal Reglster ofiséeper Attest Helonaßyern 10/2/8s WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Saint Paul's Church, Chapel, and Parish House (Brookline MRA) Norfolk County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: sample Jrequest 85003312 SEP 4 1985 Working No._ Fed.
Reg. Date:2/ 3 82 Date Due: / 3/55 - 10/19/8 Action: LACCEPT - 10-1785 _RETURN _REJECT_ Enterèd in the Metional RFederhPAgency: 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. Ciassification 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 St. Pauls Church Brooklire MRA Parish House Addetain (1895) East Facade St Paul's Chich Complex 15 ÷ 27 St-PaulSt 104 Aspuwall Ave March 1985 Brvoklene (Mla) MRA Avenue St. Pauls Church Old Aspinwal House ST.PAUL'S Episcopal churn Richard Upjohn, arch. Late 19t photo Broutolise MRA SED BY Kodak MAY 85 St Paul's Chunch Brookeine (Ma)MRA 2-85 85 EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS. St. Pauls Episcopal Church. Corner of St. Paul Street and Aspinwall Avenue. Built in 1851. The accompanying sketeh conveys a cor- rect idea of the pretty Episcopalian church in Brookline, situated about half a mile from the village, in a seciuded and pastoral spot. It is considered a fine specimen of Gothie architecture, and was designed by Mr. Up- john, the celebrated architeet of Trinity Church, New York.
The material of which it is constructed is coarse rubble granite. It is constructed with a view to form a part of a larger church, should such be required, or continue by itself, for which it is sufficiently finished. It was commenced in the spring of1851, and was completed in the following year, at a cost of about $25,000. The Gothie 5. baul's Iprsropel churh. (Mid 19th bawing) Brookline MRA Pariós House Addition 1895. St. Pauls Fecad (west facade) St. Pauls Churih Brooklire MRA 3 12 7p ROA .ROA D ORHÁM LIN AVENUE PA HIN G ® 2SN CREENOUCHÇIR. 2/000 WAVERLY 42500 HOL EMERSOM ST EMERSON GARDEN 13 ER BOYLSTON PLAYGROUND TEMPLE KENILE I9RAEE T. Pauls church4 104 Aspinwau/130 Aspinwat scate Y2"= OF DROOKLINE PARKING AREA ROAD GRIGGS PLAYGROUND AE VARP PIERCE PLAYGROUND ST.MARK CHURCH st.
MARKS SQUARE WASHBURN PL IBRARY TOWN HALL MARYS.RE TOWN OF BROOKLINE PARKING AREA STREE POAD 909g0008 8 FEHURCH GODA PA