BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
AUG 0 4 1989 1251 FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 AREA Prospect LHi11 FORM NO. 130 Town Somerville MRA Address 61 Columbus Avenue Historic Name James H. Brooks House Photo (3"x3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. staple to left side of form. Sketch Map: Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection(s):. Indicate north Use: Present residence Original : residence DESCRIPTION Date , ca.
1380 Source map research style Second Enpire Architect unknown Exterior Wall Fabricaluminum siding Outbuildings aarace Major Alterations (with dates)n/a See 'Attached Assessor's Map UTM REFERENCE USGS QUADRANGLE 19 - 327/520 - 4694/060 Boston North SCALE 1: 25,000 condition *' "'arcallentu Moved no Date n/a Acreage less than one acre setting The Brook's House is located on a hill Prospeet aiit was sudivided in the 1ate 1860s and developed with extant Second Empire and other late-19th c. dwellings. Recorded byBetsy Friedberg, Preservation Planner Organization Mass. Historical Conmission Date May 1986 NATIONDe aeS. Brooks Houses among ahe er The James H. 1-preserved examples of the Second Empire-style in Somerville.
With its square tower ornamented with stylish cast-iron cresting, the Brooks House is a small but pretenious example of this style, popular with Somerville's businessmen and merchants in the 1870s and 1880s. The house is historically significant for its associations with Somerville's process of subdivision in the decades following the Civil War, and with the city's commercial development during the same period. Retaining integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, the James H. Brooks House fulfills Criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places on a local level. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. The James Brooks House, together with its neighbor, the S. E.
Bracket House (#131) is one of Somerville's most pretenious examples of the Second Empire- style. Its design undoubtedly came from a pattern book. The house built ca. 1880, a 1 1/2-story mansard cottage with a square corner tower offset to the The tower, with its gabled dormers, retains its original iron cresting. features include a full-height Polygonal bay offset to the right and steep, straight-edged mansard roof of slate. A bracketed, flat-roofed porch wraps around the front and side of the building, and brackets also highlight the buildings cornice line. Despite the application of aluminum siding, the building's detailing remains intact. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community.
61 Columbus Avenue occupies one of the most prominent lots in the residential subdivision of Warren and Columbus Streets, platted in 1870 by Somerville businessman and investor Ira Hill. Hill was largely responsible for the development of nearby Union Square into the city's major commercial center during the same period. The large lots in Hill's residential development, known as Prospect Hill, were intended for spacious houses for businessmen and While many Prospect Hill residents commuted to Boston on the Boofens aod Maine Rafermad apdoby street raes (eoth of whted sto Boe tn un ton Square), James Brooks, the first owner of 61 Columbus Avenue, was a dry goods dealer with offices in Union Square's Masonic Block. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES G. M. Hopkins, Atlas of the City of Somerville, 1874, 1884. 41.25 Lu,33.00 103.05 1028 19.33 157 32700 PT.
LOT E & REG LOTAT 3390 0J REG LOT A-2 & PT LOT D 5455 15/3 189.73 152.23 437 270= 40610 3|21 LOT 1:0 51900 34 31 35 00 15.7 30.40 37.58 AVE. 79 11,450 138 32.2 PT. 15 816 125 LOT 1696 G COLUMBUS AUSRUE AVE WARREN LOTS REE LOTP. 11850 g 30 LOT S0 & PT. LOT 37 -OT 37 4112 ST. BIGEI.OW CLoTA PT LOT 1S LICO G PT. LOTS 12 813 ".*° MUNROE PROBPECT HILL PARK.- 71,400 PROSPECT PT. 12 5744 3-45720 NPS Form 10-900- (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Section number Page - Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Somerville MPS Middlesex County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review Date/Signature 11. Adams--Magoun House 12. Bacon, Clifton, House S.l13. Barnes, Walter S.
and Melissa E., House Substantive Review Entered in the National Registex Akeeper Alousagun 9/0/64 Attest Entered 1n the Latered 1nsi0 Akeper Aulonezu 9/18/64 Attest Sonkeeper Bith Sause 3/8/20 14. Brackett, S.E., House Entered in the Nat1ona1 Beglster Keeper AebuByu 2/18/64 Attest 15. Berouiey Water Il Conago Reo HcpeueuByu 1/8/9 National Register 16. Brooks, James H., House Entered in the National Begister Keoper aloweBger 1/0/4 Attest 17. Central Library Entered 1n the National Register Tkeeper ( Ailous Byar 9/15/5) 18. Cliff, Z.E., House 19. Cook, Thomas, House 20.
Cooper--Davenport Tavern Wing Attest Entered in the National Regiater Fhooper Aelmnbgu9/18/54 Attest Entered in tbe National Register tkeper AelmeBye 9/18/64 Attest AKeeper AeloreByer 9/18/69 Entered ia tha Mational Regtater Attest UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Brooks, James H., House 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: 89001251 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: OTHER: N PDIL: N PERIOD: N PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N 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 other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage UTMS verbal boundary description boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps -USGS maps photographs presentation OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date STOP ol colemburs 1.
61 Coleembus Ave 2. Soneruille, HA 3. Carol Zellie 4. 1983 5. Someruille Culy tall 6. Looking north 7#130 Brecks Janes H, Hase Scnervil4 MRAMa Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: . 64500253