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Nomination for Downer Rowhouses (Adams Street)

The case file that argued this property on to the National Register: 982 words across 8 pages, filed in 1989. Reproduced in full, word for word.

Source document Held by the National Archives in Record Group 79 as reference 89001225, where it exists only as a scan with no text layer. The words below were read off that scan by machine, so the occasional stray character is the recogniser's and the typewriter's. Nothing is summarised, corrected or written by this site. See the catalogue record, or return to the property.

The nomination, in full

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

AUG 0 4 1989 ORM B - BUILDING ASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION D BOYLSION STREEI OSTON, MA 02116 1225 AREA Winter Hill FORM NO. 102 Somerville MRA 55 Adams Street Downer rowhouses Photo (3"x3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. Staple to left side of form. ketch Map: Draw map showing property's location n relation to nearest cross streets and/or eographical features. Indicate all buildings etween inventoried property and nearest ntersection(s). ndicate north See Attached Assessor's Map Z E N IIM REFERENCE 19 - 327/120 - 4695/510 ISGS QUADRANGLE Boston North, Mass. iCALE 1:25,000 TOWn Address Historic Name Use: :Present multifamily housina Original 5-unit row house DESCRIPTION Date ca.

1380 Source map research Style Second Empire Architect unknown Exterior Wall Fabric brick outbuildings none Major Alterations (with dates)none condition good Moved no Date n/a Acreage. less than one acre setting 55 Adams Street is located in an area two-family and of multifamil. dwellings with several large late-1gth century dwellings at the bottom of Adams Street near Medford. Broadway, a major east-west route passes within a block of the Downer rowhouses. Recorded by Betsy Friedbera, Preservacion Planner Organization Mass. Historical Conmission Date May 1936 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) One of Somerville's earliest rowhouses, 55 Adams Street is a fine example of the Second Empire style.

Ihe bullding retains integrity of location, design, mater ials, workmanship, teeling, and association and fulfills Criterion C of the National Register of Historic Places on the local level. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. 55 Adams Street is one of the finest brick rows of Winter Hill. This four-story (with above grade basement level) five-unit row is distinguished by five full-height polygonal bays, broken-pedimented dormers, a scallop-patterned, straight-sided mansard roof and brownstone lintels and sills. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. The Downer rowhouses were built (ca. 1880) at a time when the top of Winter Hill was a fashionable residential enclave.

Lots were large, and many of the residences were architecturally distinguished. 55 Adams Street is one of Somerville's earliest rowhouses, designed for prosperous middle class residents. Most, such as this one, were built on speculation by Cutler Downer and a real estate developer. Downer also built an adjoining brick row behind 55 Adams Street, fronting Central STreet (#122). BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Hopkins, G. M. Atlas of the City of Somerville, 1884 -0% T6PTI SO 96 6079 OELL d SEzS 38.09 80 1S 00 S6 1016 1101L 10% VIOT -D 009% 107 00109 46.05 T8o4 0197 LOT C 107 ST LOT 661L 001L9 @SIZE = 10T 9 009f 107 00095 J01 98L 01 ocsil T 400 35.80 02619 101 *04629 Id 101 107 OL 10% 07100 0 301 Youis IOT.

22188 § L0 sr 9 1s7 5556 D SR'SI 09762 107 -Iss @ 2 107 0S L0T TEM DE S6 F0 o4 668°8I 112.07 100E DOOR 3p9ozs -107 19% 108 CENTRAL DOWNER ROWHOUSES 55 ADAMS ST SOMERVILLE(MRA) _AASS 39.18 -2689 1 107 1d g auS doer© - 00s9 0692'11 B29 5107 04 158 ADAMS ST. (8T4 69 O5I |"= 100' NPS Form 10-900a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number _ Page OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Somerville MPS Middlesex County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review Date/Signature 21. Crowell, C.C., House etored in the National Hegister Keeper AelvesDyur 2//8/8 Attest 22. Downer Rowhouses (Adams Street) red 1n thei Natiunal Register - Maoper ebmyun 9/0/09 Attest 23. Downer Rowhouses (Central Street) Su'24.

First Unitarian Church Entered in tha Akeeper C AelByur 9/18/89 National Register Attest Substantiva Bevior frkeeper Bitt Sauage 9/18/89 yur 25. First Universalist Church 26. Foster, Alexander, House 27. Gaut, Samuel, House 28. Grandview, The 29. Highland, The 30.

Hollander Blocks Ja Keeper Bua Savase 9/18/89 Attest Entered In tha Hataonal ResdaranKeeper AulouePzur 9/6/69 Attest Fntarad 1n tbe National Register fikeeper tubreBgur 9/16/84 Attest Enteredin tha National Regiater HKeeper AilomPyur 9/18/69 Attest Entered in the National Reglater tKeeper AuloueByu 9/15/89 Attest Entered in the National Begister foKeeper ( Nelvregoyens 9/15/89 Attest UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Downer Rowhouses (Adams Street) NAME: MULTIPLE Somerville MPS NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Middlesex DATE RECEIVED: DATE OF 16TH DAY: DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: 8/04/89 8/31/89 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 8/15/89 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 9/18/89 REFERENCE NUMBER: 89001225 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: N OTHER: N PDIL: N PERIOD: N PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N N COMMENT WAIVER: N ACCEPT RETURN REJECT 9/18/89 DATE Entered in the National Register ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: RECOM./CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N CLASSIFICATION count _resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION FUNCTION historic _current DESCRIPTION architectural classification materials descriptive text 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 BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage _verbal boundary description UTMS Iboundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps _USGS maps photographs OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date presentation 55 Adams Pehore Rowhuses 55 Adans S.

55 Allens St. Saneville MRA, Ma 2. Someruille, HA 3. Carol Zellie 4. 1988 5. somerulle caty Hall 6. looking northeast 1 #102 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64500253