Nomination for US Post Office--Medford Main

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-306 (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES RECEIVED INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM MAY 161980 JUN 1 8 1986 DATE ENTERED FOR FEDERAL PROPERTIES SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 1 NAME HISTORIC United States Post Office AND/OR COMMON Medford Main Post Office LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 20 Forest Street 3 CITY.

TOWN Medford STATE Massachusetts 02155 CLASSIFICATION NLA VICINITY OF CODE 0720 N/ A_NOT FOR.PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Seventh Congressional District COUNTY CODE Middlesex 017 CATEGORY _DISTRICT X BUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP X PUBLIC -PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION X IN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED -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 Lexington N/A VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION STATE Massachusetts 02173 COURTHOUSE REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC STREET & NUMBER Middlesex County Registry, Cambridge Courthouse 208 Cambridge Street CITY.TOWN Cambridge REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS STATE Massachusetts 02141 TITLE None DATE -FEDERAL STATE COUNTY LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY. TOWN STATE 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION XEXCELLENT _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

_PHYSICAL APPEARNCE_ Overall, the building and its property are in very good condition. The Post office is located near the center of the site with a vehicle manuevering area to the left. The site is cut into the sloping land, with a large retaining wall in the rear; it is landscaped with lawn, bushes, and several small trees. The building is of steel frame construction, with brick laid in alternating header and stretcher courses. In plan, a small original vestibule opens to the public lobby, flanked by the Postmaster's office to the left and service area to the right. Behind the service screen is the workroom with the mail vestibule and platform off to the left. The front (southeast) elevation is a seven-bay structure with a three- bay raised, projecting central entranceway. A simple moulded brick watertable course defines the base.

A raised area, with panels of brick paving, is accessed by four wide granite steps, leads to a smaller set of six entry steps flanked by granite wing walls and cast iron lampposts. The central portion of the building is topped by a plain, modillioned pediment and simple entablature of white marble. Three severe, deep recesses create four large flat brick pilasters separating the 30/15 light wood frame, double-hung windows with large marble lintels and thin sills. The replacement aluminum and glass doors are framed by thin wood pilasters and a wood entablature. A fixed sash 20 light window and lintel are above. The flanking bays are topped by a marble entablature with projecting architrave and have smaller, 12/12 light double-hung windows set in full-height recessed brick panels. The entryway is covered by an asphalt shingled pitched roof; the end bays are flat-roofed with parapet walls.

The other three sides of the building are similar in detail to the front elevation. The rear gabled end includes a large segmented, arched window. The left (southwest) elevation includes the covered mail platform. One enters the building through a small, dark stained wood and glass vestibule. It has a terrazzo floor with a white marble border, brass bars, a low wood panel dado with panel glass windows above, and highly carved flat fluted columns supporting an ornamented entablature and projecting cornice. Doorways on each side give access to the two-story high lobby, five bays in length. The room has terrazzo flooring with white marble border, white marble wainscot and stool with a black marble base, plaster walls and ceiling, and dark stained wood service-height strip, denticulated cornice, and window frames.

Long thin anthemion ornamental metal grilles opening to the workroom are located above the service area. The walls are moulded to give the effect of separate panels. The ceiling at the ends of the lobby is lower in height to accentuate their special services: the right being three large service counters, the left a stained wood door with architrave and broken pediment to the Postmaster's office. NPS Form 10-300-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 MEDFORD MAIN POST OFFICE Item number 7 Page 2 ALTERATIONS_ The service counters to the right replaced original windows, the wood cornice in the lobby is painted over, a skylight in the workroom is covered over, and flourescent lighting has recently replaced original fixtures. _ART_ Located above the service counters on the right wall of the lobby, a set of three paneled canvas murals are located. Depicting the town's historical rum and shipbuilding industries, they are in excellent condition.

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 .900- AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW -ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC COMMUNITY PLANNING ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _CONSERVATION -AGRICULTURE -ECONOMICS X ARCHITECTURE -EDUCATION XART -ENGINEERING _COMMERCE _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _COMMUNICATIONS _INDUSTRY _INVENTION -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _RELIGION -LAW _SCIENCE _LITERATURE _SCULPTURE _MILITARY _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -MUSIC -THEATER _PHILOSOPHY _TRANSPORTATION -POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _OTHER (SPECIEVI Excavation: Feb. 8, 1957 Louis A. Simon, Sup. Architect SPECIFIC DATES Dedication: Sept. 13, 1937 BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECTArthur L. Blakeslee, Chief Architect STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Edmund J. Rappoli, Contractor The Medford Main Post Office is situated on a side street in downtown Medford, near Medford Square. Architecturally it is significant as a Federal government building representative of Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) construction and design policies during the 1930's. Built in 1936, its form, design, materials, elements, plan and siting reflect P.W.A. advocacy of economy, efficiency and functionalism in post office architecture. Its simple, L-shaped form, local brick materials, ornamentation and logical, standardized 6-area plan facilitated quick construction. Indeed, the building was finished "way ahead of schedule." Stylistically, this post office represents a regional expression of classical tradition.

Greek forms and surface treatments popular in New England during the 1830's and 1840's were revived for this building's design. Essentially L-shaped in plan, its main elevation is treated as a three-story Greek Revival temple with massive pedimented attic flanked by side wings. Its large, multi-pane windows exhibit simple stone sills and lintels and are set within recessed rectangular panels. Local brick was evidently used in this post office's construction. Brick yards had been operating in Medford since the late 17th century. Arthur L. Blakeslee, the chief Federal Architect responsible for this buildings plan and design was thoroughly familiar with local masonry Greek Revival Architecture. He was a native of Medford, born c. 1880 at the corner of High and Jerome Streets, Medford. He settled in Washington, D.C. in 1908.

During the mid 1930's he was in charge of the Arlington Main Post Offices construction. The Medford Main Post Office's siting is also of interest as a reflection of P.W.A. buildings policy. In this case, a location on a side street was chosen to facilitate more efficient mail distribution. Prior to the 1930's sites on prominent street corners and major thoroughfares were generally deemed suitable location for government buildings. The Medford Main Post Office was completed on December 2, 1936. For the first time Medford's mail distribution was handled in a central eFIE location within the city limits. Prior to the mid 1930's Medford's mail was handled by Somerville's postal service. The Medford Main Post Office was built at a cost of $149,500. It was dedicated on September 13, 1937. Ex-Senator Charles T. Daly, then President of the Chamber of Congress and Congressman Arthur D.

Healy are credited with securing the funds for this structure. The Medford Main Post Office was the first Federal building in the city. Local newspapers noted that this building's construction provided

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES "Medford Mercury" September 16, 1937, P. 1,5,6,8; September 4, 1937 - p. 1; "Medford Mercury" Vol. XXII No. 103 - February 2, 1939 History of Post Office Construction 1900-1940, July, 1982 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY UTM REFERENCES 0.562 A[1,9| 13/2,6|4,0,0 1,619,8/2,4,5) " EASTING NORTHING ZONE NORTHING NORTHING VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION South to Northeast - 180.71' along Forest Street Southeast to Northwest - 140.0' along side lot line Northeast to South - 169.55' along rear lot line Northwest to Southeast - 140.44 along side lot line 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 Steven M. Smith, Project Manager ORGANIZATION SULLIVAN DESIGN GROUP, INC.

STREET & NUMBER 44 Adams Street CITY OR TOWN Braintree DATE September 24, 1985 TELEPHONE (617) 848-1545 STATE Massachusetts 02184 12 CERTIFICATION OF NOMINATION STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER RECOMMENDATION YES. NO NONE Valeuc demace STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER 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 dlays in which to present the pomination to the State Review Board and to evaluate its significance. The evaluated level of significance is State. XLocal. FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE TITLE Realty Specialist Sr. FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Patich Andus DIRECTOR.

OFFICEOF ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION -KEEPER OFGHE NATIONAL REGISTER- DATE May 13, 1986 DATE DATE 6/18/86 6-16-86 GPO 899-214 UMO NU. IU24 -UUID 10-31-84 (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Medford Main Post Office Item number 8 For NPS use only recelved date entered Page 2 jobs for many local men and permanent jobs for 70 post office employees. It was part of a building program that included the City Hall (1936) and a new municipal garage. Medford's building program was established to "return people to work". The Medford Main Post Office was a timely and complimentary addition to a commercial district which realized a retail business of $11,000,00 in 1934 and $13,000,000 in 1935. This building contains a mural by Henry Billings of New York.

It depicts the 18th century triangular trade between Medford, Africa and the West Indies, featuring scenes from the ever flourishing rum industry. Finally, this building represents a product of the U.S. Supervisory Architect office in Washington, D.C. From 1933 until 1941 Louis Adolf Simon was the U.S. Supervisory Architect. Born in Boston c. 1870 and educated at M.I.T. he began a private practice in Washington D.C. in 1894. by 1896 he had been hired by the U.S. Treasury Supervising Architect's office. He was appointed chief Federal Architect in 1905 - a post which he held until 1933. In addition to numerous post offices, custom houses and court houses he was responsible for the design of the Federal Building at the New York World's Fair in 1939/1940. He died in 1941.

2 Story Granite Georgian Colonial Bank Building 2 Story Brick Converted Residence to Office Space Parking 5 Story Brick Apartment Building Parking 4 Story Brick Brick Refurbished Apartment Building BROOKS LANE 1 Story Brick Retail 169.55 Postal Vehicle Area 6 5 4 Story Classical Revival High School Building 140.44' 140.0' 2 Story Brick Retail Parking 180.71' SALEM STREET 4 Story Brick/Stone "Second Empire" Style Mix-use Building FOREST STREET 1 Story Brick Retail 2 Story Wood-Frame Residence 1 - Vestibule 2 - Public Lobby 3 - Postmaster's Office 4 - Workroom 2 Story Wood-Frame Funeral Home Parking 2 Story Brick Office Building UNITED STATES POST OFFICE - MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS 5 - Mail Vestibule 6 - Mail Platform 3 Story Wood-Frame Residence 6768 / NW (LEXINGTON) 25' 46,97 0 000 FEET vurory Field Winthrop Squarg.

106) VASTICI faygraufid/ -Médtord Hillsidet HI, BROADWAY POwder House Souare West Somerville WINCHESER, Resernoir Ge Hill Silver Mine South 5 MÍDDEESEx PEI,S RESERYATTON :PinefRili "Loakout MomerA" BeNlèvue Pond: AWRENCE MEDFORD McNaily Playground BM44 Hao rter ove - Phartey MaLe 128 WRIGHTS, PARK.

00 '3> Wrights MERCHNGE St Frunde Sch: FELLSWAX Playground GENTRA INTERCHANGE 1Logan 3LSAN isiana OCOR) Fellá Reservoir Magoun Radio Tower (WEEL adio Moidento Hosoltal JEM72 Stevens Square ]Mörrisor (Pipyground) BM Radio Towers (WEEI)o [heaters RIVER RESERVATION Wellington Bridge Ten Hur MYSTIC Winter Hil Se Pol Boojum RockPnniet imeri Fielo thousece elismere Park' Beebe Fettsmere/astir 1r High Sch Pondi ASAL) namacula te Coneeption Devir Park Edgeworth MEDFORO Weilit ton playgroune - RIVER Radio Towet C(WILD)/ Drive-in Theater Rad o Tower MALDE Marden3 Sayare Sch MADISON BeH Cem BellR Babe Ruih Playground esch West Es Sacramon Plavoround Henderso 86000/346 WASO Form - 177 ("'R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Substeative Berlew U.S.

Post Office--Medford Main Middlésex County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: #sample request Lappeal local adaptation of lassical Ahdetionaly siguigicansade" maral Werry Bllingo mstalled un 1939. Nomination returned for: - - technical corrections cited below _ substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition Status Accessible 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 Working No.- MAY Y6 Fed. Reg. Date: 2/3/87 Date Due:6/13/86 - Action: - LACCEPT- 4/35/76 6-18-86 -RETURN REJECT Federal Agency: _ U S PS -NR decision Recom./Criterja Uccept AKC Reviewer - Discipline. Aorchutedturel Wastory Date 6-16-86 _ see continuation sheet Present Use Check one J 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 title date 13. Other JMaps Photographs - Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed Date Phone:.

Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet Medford Post Office 20 Forest Street Medford, MA MEDFORD MAIN POST OFFICE Medford, MA David R. Hooker Ear1 R. Flansburgh and Associates May 1983 Front elevation. Left view Medford Post Office 20 Forest Street Medford, MA MEDFORD MAIN POST OFFICE Medford, MA David R. Hooker Ear1 R. Flansburgh and Associates May 1983 Front elevation. Right view UN .D POST OFFICE Medford Post OFfice 20 Forest Street Medford, MA MEDFORD MAIN POST OFFICE Medford, MA David R. Hooker Ear1 R. Flansburgh and Associates May 1983 Front elevation Medford Post Office Medford, Massachusetts MEDFORD MAIN POST OFFICE Medford, MA David R. Hooker Earl R. Flansburgh and Associates May 1983 Lobby Medford Post Office 20 Forest Street Medford, MA MEDFORD MAIN POST OFFICE Medford, MA David R. Hooker Earl R.

Flansburgh and Associates May 1983 Mural FIELD REAL ESTATE AND BUILDINGS OFFICE P.O.Box 324 Laxington, MA 02173-0324 August 19, 1985 The Honorable John A. Ghiloni City Manager, City of Medford City Hall Medford, MA 02155 Dear City Manager Ghiloni: The U.S. Postal Service in conjunction with the Massachusetts State Historic Preservation Officer in Boston has evaluated the Main Post Office in Medford and has determined it is significant from an 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, Gregory Gilleland General Manager Concur: Enclosures JPC/1jr WATES POSTA SERVICE UN UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE Real Estate and Buildings Department 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, DC 20260-6400 May 13, 1986 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 post office located at 20 Forest Street, Middlesex County, Medford, Massachusetts. If you have questions concerning this nomination, please call me at 202/268-3107. Sincerely, Fahd Bam Specialist, Senior Office of Real Estate Enclosure Post Office constucted 1936. Not 450. Reuore from tally. 38. 6-16-86 Reid MAY | 6 1986