BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
AREA FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET, BOSTON, MA 02116 FORM NO. 33 161-5,6 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 Address" 11 Charles Street Historic Name Second Unitarian Church (now Temple Sinai) Use: Present Synagogue Original_ Church DESCRIPTION: Date 1916 Source_ Brookline Chronicle Citizen Style Georgian Revival Architect_Edwin I Lewis Exterior wall fabric Brick Outbuildings None Major alterations (with dates)_ None Recorded by Carla Benka Organization Brookline Hist. Comm. Date_ _ December 1979 Moved No Date_N/A Approx.
acreage Less than one acre Setting Temple Sinai is located a short distance from Beacon St., Brookline's major thoroughfare, and Coolidge Corner, its major intersec- tion Boston South Quadrangle (Staple additional sheets here) UTM Reference: 19/375400/4689720 Map #: 7 ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the commmity.) With its monumental two-story portico supported by Ionic columns and topped by a modillioned and dentilated pediment, its decorative frieze, its round- arched windows capped by limestone keystones, and its brick quoins, Temple Sinai is a fine example of the Georgian Revival style. The building is surse. mounted by a cupola-topped tower.
The synagogue stands on a plot of land that has been subdivided; in front of the building on Beacon Street (in fact, within the Beacon Street Historic District) is a non-contributing gas station. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the commmity.) In 1896, a second Unitarian Church of Brookline was formed; the congregation ! held its first meetings in the Sears Chapel, located in the Longwood area of Brookline. By 1916, the Second Unitarian Society had been urged to find anothe place for its meetings, since the congregation of the Sears Chapel wanted full possession of its building. The congregation of the Unitarian Church decided to purchase a lot of land nea1 the Parish House, which. had been built at Coolidge Corner in 1901 at which time it had been dedicated by Edward Everett Hale.
The parish house was a small, wooden building (no longer standing), which stood on property once elonging to Charles Stearns, a major property owner in this area. The Parish House stood behind the site tor the new meetinghouse. Boston architect Edwir J. Lewis was chosen as the architect; the plan that he submitted was based on the design of the Washington Church in Alexandria, Virginia. The Brookline Chronicle Citizen's article on the church stated that "the Golder Dome which surmounts the clock and watch tower of the Meeting House is a shining object to be seen from a great distance. All in all, for beauty and historic correctness, the Second Unitarian Meeting House ranks high and is pronounced by J.
Randolph Coolidge, Jr., a competent architect, as one of the finest examples of early American ecclesiastical structures in Boston and BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES (name of publication, author, date and publisher) vicinity." (continued) Brook1ine Attoni le Cit12en, 1916: 1913, 1919 Clippings file in Brookline Public Library, "Temples," compiled by Beryl Cohon Dimont, Max, The Jews in America. New York, Borowitz, Eugene, Reform Judaism Today. 1978 New York, 1978 - 10M - 7/82 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : BROOKLINE FOTT NO: 163-5,6 secend Uritarian Church) Property Name : Temple Sinai Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, continued Temple Sinai was the first new Reform Congregation to be founded in the Boston metropolitan area in 84 years.
Its founding caused a degree of dissension with older Reform Congregations, which felt that a new congrega- tion was unnecessary at that time. The congregation of Temple Sinai was formed during the summer of 1939 "to bring new energy to the religious life of Boston Jewry and a larger measure of Jewish spiritual influence to the general community." Its first place of worship and schoolhouse were located at 16 Sidlaw Road in Brighton, in an old stucco mansion. was dedicated. ias ded (Septemere buttdenpresen tusanated yom Che les Sd ent ar BnoSkciety, whose president was a friend of Rabbi Beryl Cohen. Temple Sinai lists a number of "firsts" in its founding and history.
It was: --first to introduce Sabbath eve services as a major program of worship in Reform congregations in the Boston area; --first to introduce Bar Mitzvah consistently in reform congregations; --first to give women equal membership and voting priveleges in the synagogue; --first to provide equal seating privileges to all members; and --first to encourage family worship by providing for group seating. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION Temple Sinai is a religious property that meets National Register Criteria A, C, and Criteria Exception A and derives primary significance from its -architectural distinction and historical importance, being a fine example of Georgian Revival ecclesiastical architecture.
Its original congregation was a forerunner in establishing a number of reforms both in the worship service and administration of its institution, and the Temple is known for having established a number of precedents within Reform Judaism regarding worship services. It is additionally an important building representing a momentous development in the history and evolution of the Reform Judalsm movement. building, representing a momentous development in the history and evolution of the Reform Judaism movement. Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-900-8 (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 recelved 9-4-85 date entered Page Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name Brookline MRA State MASSACHU SETTS 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 Enbered 1n the Matioml Regiater Entered in tateeper Iotional Register Attest f°Keeper Entered in tlie National hegiater Entered ia the National Register Iarbensed Im BaNE Matloral Register Eabered in the Mettenel Begister Entared in the Haldional Beglater Enbared ia tib Mationel Hegdaber Tarbeaod 1 the Megtaber Attest bReeper Attest fteeper Attest 6keeper Attest fkeeper Attest tKeeper Attest tKeeper Attest fKeeper Attest Entered ia the Tatarid Inestster afiséeper Attest Date/Signature AelorsByen 4/2185 AelunsBgu 10/12185 delenByen (40185 DelorByen 10alo5 Auluaßyu 10/218.
delunßgur d2hi DelonByer 10/2181 DebuBye 10/210 AelaByu 10/011 AelaByen 1012/85 85 0 03315 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Second Unitarian Church (Brookline MRA) Norfolk County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: I sample request Reviewer's comments: Embered Metional appeal Working No. _ ed. Reg. Date: 22/3/e Date Due: _ Action: LACCEPT- RETURN REJECT. ETOT Federal Agency: J NR decision Recom./Criteria Reviewer Discipline Date see continuation sheet 4 1985 10/65/83 10-12-81 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 Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Builder/Architect 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 Temple SiNAi (schoul Bldg) Secanct Unitarran Church Brookline (MA) MRA Temple Sinai 2llChoules st 5/85- Secan un tarias Church Brookline CuA MRA B300 ES Nedoga BEALS STREET ST. 0003000 STEDMAN W. DEVOTION tHOOL & PLAYGROUND ER ST. EDW.
DEVOTION HOUSE 00 TOWN OF 00000000 BROOKLINE PLAYGROUND OKING AREA TOWN BROOKI INE JOHN *TA1 1r charles strecT (33(161-5-6) Temple sinai (seunduitaria church BROOKLINE (MA) MRA lown o Brookune Map Jan'e scale '½"= 200-T /NINSH bo 0r OST.AIDEN'S aoobabsoai BROWNE ao ao do WINTHROP KNYVET SQ. ISTARION 0/0 REET AMORY PLAYGROUND OHABEI CHATHAM LONGWOOD TREET SQUARE CHRIST CHURCH RFET MÓN CH.OR LONGWOOD PLAYGROUND LAWRENCE 200