BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MA 02108 AREA FORM NO. 73/316-1 Town Brookline MRA Address 237 Cypress Street Historic Name Town Stable 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. Use: Present Town garage Town Stable/Barn Original DESCRIPTION: Date 1874; 1898 SourceTown Reports Style Gothic Revival; Georgian Reviva ArchitectCharles Kirby; Peabody&Stear Exterior wall fabric_brick Outbuildings sheds Major alterations (with dates) additions- 1898-to existing stable; sheds; 1955 interior alterations; 1963-renovatioi 1937-new building Recorded by_C. Benka and G. Hardwicke Organization Brookline Historical Com.
Date_ Jan, 1985 UIM Reference: BostReeren 324904689960 Map #: 14 Moved no Date NA Approx. acreage 1 1/2 acres Setting At corner of Cypress and Ken- dall Streets, fronting small com- mercial area and abutting densely populated residential area. (Staple additional sheets here) ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community.) The town stable complex is one of the older publicly owned and operated buildings in the town. Its oldest portion was built in 1874 in a varia- tion of the Gothic Revival style. Evidence can be seen in the vertical boarding of the upper story and the treatment of the dormer on the west facade. The massive brick chimney and decorative cupola/ventilator should also be noticed. Originally the north, south, and west facades were sym- netrical.
On the lower stories of the south and west facades, 2/2 windows N1th brick arched windowheads, drip moldings, and granite sills flank a ce tral doorway. On the upper stories, 2/2 windows are placed on either side HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community.) In 1873 the Superintendent of Streets requested an appropriation to con- struct a barn and shed large enough for twenty horses and "storage for one year's worth of hay." At both the May land July 24 Town Meetings of that year, the Selectmenwere authorized to buy land on Cypress Street froi the heirs of Moses B. Williams on which to build the new facilities. parcel of land totalled 94,000 sq.ft; $22,326.99 was authorized for its purchase.
Charles Kirby of Boston was hired as the architect of the struc ture; Horace James (at the time a Selectman) and Burton W. Neal were selec ted as the contractors. Twenty five years later Peabody and Stearns were selected to remodel and add on to the original stable and to construct additional sheds along Cy- press Street. of the the old stable, but due to opposition from owners of adjoining property, it was decided to build on the easterly side. stable was altered into the carriage room, carriage wash, superin- tendent's office, a harness room, and a lunch and coat room for employees. The former hayloft was converted into storage space for carriages, pungs, and harnesses not in use. The basement contained the manure pit.
Within the new stable was a coal bin, water boiler and storage space in the base- ment; 28 single stalls and two box stalls on the first floor; and stodage for grain, hay, and straw in the loft. Newly constructed sheds were used for equipment storage. According to the 1898 Town Report, the side walls BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES (name of publication, author, date and publisher) 1874 Town Report, p.4; 42 T898 alteration permit and plans 1898 Town Report-, p.129-130 10M - 7/82 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Commmi ty: Form No: MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston BROOKLINE 73/316-1 Property Name: Town Barn-237 Cypress S Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 7. Architectural significance of the loft entrance. The west facade had pairs of small windows on the upper floor with double doors beneath.
Windows were added on to all three facades in 1898, along with paneled doors topped by glass transoms.. The east facade was absorbed by the newly constructed (1898) addition. Peabody and Stearns designed a larger (98 feet by 43 feet) brick structure with a gambrel roof on the north facade and mansard roof on the south in 1898. Georgian Revival-type detailing included semi-circular windows; dentil noldinas, a central pedlmented gable with returns, flat window caps with flared ends and a center keystone, and symmetrical facades. The replacement paneled doors on the older portion of the stable also reflected the influence Some modifications have taken place, with windows being replaced by a door, small windows converted into vents, and large, multi-pane windows constructed on the upper stories.
Most noticeable has been the removal of the original doors at the basement level and the enlargement of opening to accomodate motor vehicles. On the south facade of the 1874 building asphalt shingles have replaced vertical boarding while the east facade basement level windows have been bordered up. The slate roof, brick win- dow arches, granite sills, elaborate ventilator as well as carriage hoists and hay beams remain. Other buildings in the complex include two sets of sheds, one of wood dating from 1874 and the other of brick built in 1898. The former is two stories high with gable roof, clapboard siding on the second floor, windows tueked under tac saves and diagonally placed boarding on the first shop is a two story building with an asphalt roof (hip), large chimney and 12/6 windows.
There is a popular account that this building was the old Sewall School (1880), but there is no written documentation to substantiate this theory. The exterior of this structure is sided with sawtooth and fish scale shingles. Finally there is a small one story building with a brick front and flat It was built in 1937 and was designed by Strickland and Strickland roof. of Boston. 8. Historical significance above the second floor of the older building were taken down and relaid, while three trusses were put in to carry the roof which was originally of very light construction. The report also noted that the stall floor drained into the sewer in Cypress Street; the carriage and harness rooms drained into the brook which ran through the yard. The 1870s marked a period of growth for the Town.
Public services were ex- panded with a public water supply system completed by 1875 and land purchased for public recreational use in 1871 (Cypress Street playground). public buildings were also constructed during this decade: the first Lawrence Staple to Inventory form at bottom INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Conmmity : Brookline Form No: 73/316-1 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Property Name: Town Barn-237 Cypress : Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. School (1874); the first fire station at the intersection of High and Washing- ton Streets (1871); the fourth Town Hall (1873); and the conversion of the "old" Town Hall into a police station (1874).
The desire to consolidate scattered facilities in one place with the construction of a Town Stable reflected an emerging sense of municipal responsibility on the part of Brookline's Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting. 237 Cypress Street, the original Town stable, meets NR criteria A and C, representing the Town's emerging sense of municipal responsibility which begins to repidly develop after the Civil War, and retaining much of the original architectural details of the Kirby building as well as the later additions by Peabody and Stearns. 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 9-4-83 date entered Page Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Brookline MRA MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 71. Saint Paul's Church, Chape1, 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 Intered in tateeper Ictiona] Register Attest Entered 1n the lationel Regiater Entered in tlie National Regiater Entered l ia the National Register Earbensl Im rbie Ietlonal Register Eabered in the Meeione1 Register Entered in the faldone1Begtater Enbered 1a tlie Mational Begdaber Tarine& Nease:naT Megtiber f°Keeper Attest 6Keeper Attest fKeeper Attest 6Keeper Attest Akeeper Attest tKeeper Attest tKeeper Attest tKeeper Attest Entered 1n the Ratarna Reeistor afisteper Attest Date/Signature AelorByen 14/12/85 AelonsAzu 10/11185 delutgea 140185 AeloneaByan c0lalos AelmuByun 10/2/8.
deluByur idalsi DelonByer 10/2181 Debußyan 1/21 SlunByun 10/0181 AelvueByern 1012/85 85003320 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Town Stable (Brookline MRA) Norfolk County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: sample request SEP 4 1985 Working No._ Fed. Reg. Date: 2/3/82 Date Due: _ -20/12/81 Action: LACCEPT_10-L7-81 Enbsrod 1n the .RETURN. Natdonal ReeFederal Agency: _ REJECT_ 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 J unaltered altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summaryparagraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one J 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 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: _ Commentsfor any item may be continued on an attached sheet TowaStabie 237 Cepressst Brooklene (Ma)MRA Town Stable 237 Cypiess St Broskeine Caa) MRA Town Stables t old woed (ald sewall schaol?) Cypress st. April, 1983 Poroskline (Ma) MRA Tourn Stables 237 cypress st. April, 983 Brookline (Ma)MRA GENT'S POND PERKINS FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH - OD MA N CROS: BOGE RO AD BROOKLINE CEMETERY IORIGINAL GROUNDBUPYING RO.
AD GENT BROOKIINE HOSPITAL A8 Town Stables (73/316-1) BE 237 Cypess5MRA srooklin Town o Broo Klne nap Jan 1981 scale "z"= 200 $T. Dral EAST MILTONT BOHMSTREET o B22/30000 NAL .NUT MCPORD 3Y CLARK PLAYGROUND LROWIN PRINCE B 8S8s A004 PR Goete E STRLEM STHE. SEWALL Do,Ppabaga MARGARET E. ROBINSON PLAYGROUND Pummammmma DO0000ga I G CHES RC HARRY DO /NES FIELD ? SILD WARD's POND ARART OF BOSTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN ZVI A. SESLING, CHAIRMAN EDWARD NOVAKOFF JEFFREY P. ALLEN MARTIN R. ROSENTHAL ESTELLE KATZ RICHARD T. LEARY Executive Secretary Not a legal objection: Memicipartés not oojet.. ToWN of BROOKLINE Massachusetts (REGEIVEB JUL = 1985 MASS. HISTCOMM July 8, 1985 Ms. Valerie A. Talmage State Historic Preservation Officer Massachusetts Historical Commission 80 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116 Dear Ms.
Talmage: I am writing on behalf of the Brookline Board of Selectmen in connection with your meeting on Wednesday, July 10 at which the Brookline Multiple Resource Area will be considered for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The Selectmen have been and continue to be strongly supportive of the Brookline Historical Commission's efforts to promote preservation of historical properties in the town. The Board supports the current Multiple Resources Area nomination to the National Register of Historic Places submitted to the state by the Historical Commission. This nomination should, in general, assist the town's efforts to preserve, and restore where possible, the historic and architectural heritage of the town. However, the Selectmen are seriously concerned with the proposed inclusion of the town garage on Cypress Street, commonly referred to as the Town Barn.
The present facilities of the town's Highway and Sanitation Division oi DPW are not merely outmoded and inefficient, but constitute a serious hazard to the Division and its employees, the neighborhood, and the town as a whole. Included in the town's capital improvements program for many years, there now appears to be general recognition of the seriousness of the problem and a will in the community to resolve it. In the Board's view, the nomination of the Town Barn may create obstacles for this critical project and appears to prejudge the potential alternatives. While the Selectmen would support, as part of the required feasibility study, consideration of a -2- full range of alternatives, including adaptive re-use, the Board requests that this property be deleted from the current Multiple Resources Area application.
Depending on the outcome of the feasibility study it may be possible, at a later date, to submit the property for nomination. The overriding public interest is the provision of a safe and efficient facility because of the critical nature of the public services rendered from this public works garage. It is our understanding that the adjacent property, the Sewall School, will be recommended for deletion by the Historical Commission. This property is included in the preliminary plans for an improved DPW facility. We would be pleased to provide a tour of the public works garage and the surrounding area if that would be helpful. Sincerely, fuchard eaeary Executive Secretary TOWN of BROOKLINE Massachusetts 1705 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS WILLIAM T.
GRIFFITHS COMMISSIONER ENGINEERING - TRANSPORTATION HIGHWAY SANITATION WATER PARKS - FORESTRY - CEMETERY CONSERVATION DIVISIONS July 8, 1985 This certifies that the so called "Town Barn" located at 237 Cypress Street, Brookline, Massachusetts is the property of the Town of Brookline, Massachusetts. lleamTSih 26%%COTTON FIBE BY: 4elau pfu P.E. Commissioner of Public Works Subsenled and swon dbfreme ou July 8,1985. Franes Halpem My coumisdia, afires 9/9/pg