BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
23 FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 JAN 0 2 1990 AREA Newton, MA-MRA FORM NO. NC-046 Town Newton (Newton Centre) Address 374 Homer Street Historic Name Boston Edison Power Station prostoey or ae se robaco ant 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 power station Original same DESCRIPTION Date 1904-1913 Source water & building dept. records Style Mannerist Classical Revival Architect Bigelow & Wadsworth Exterior Wall Fabric stuccoed concrete Outbuildingsnone Major Alterations (with dates) Condition building expanded 1910, 1913 good see attached map Moved no Date n/a C .7/A Acreage 31,125 sa.ft.
Settingresidential arez: epposite City Hall and backing up te Newton Cemetery UTM REFERENCE 19/317910/4689280 USGS QUADRANGLE NEIVTON SCALE 1: 25000 Recorded by _Candace Jenkins/Susan Abele Organization Newton Historical Comm. Date 12/1986; rev. 3/1988 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Boston Edison Power Station possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. It is significant for its early role in the introduction of electricity to the city and for its associations with the street railway system. Its handsome eclectic design by the well-known firm of Bigelow & Wadsworth also makes it an important piece of industrial architecture. The Power Station thus meets criteria A & C of the NRHP.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. The Boston Edison Power Station faces north on Homer Street toward the Newton City Hall (NC-041); adjacent to the east is a paved municipal parking lot; transformers are to the east and south. The building originated in 1904 as a small hip roofed structure with three bays on each side. Due to expansions in service, the building was enlarged in 1910 and again in 1913. The resulting building is over four time the size of the original, but remains faithrul to the initial eclectic design which draws on various facets of the classical revival styles as well as other contemporary styles such as the Arts & Crafts. Overall, the architects approach to the structure may be classified as Mannerist since it makes unconventional use of classical elements.
(see continuation sheet) HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. When Newton's growing street railway system became electrified in 1886 power was provided by small local stations. In the next two decades, demand for electrical power grewas the street railway systems were enlarged and new uses for electrical power developed such as street and home lighting, and electrical household appliances (see sections 7 and 8). By 1901, The Edison Electric Illuminating Company had become the major sources of power in Boston and by 1922 it service areas reach cities and towns for more than 600 square miles around Boston. In Newton, the first section of the present Edison transfer station at 364 Homer Street was built in 1904, adjacent to an earlier street railway power house and carbarn.
Part of Edison's expanding suburban service, it was designed by the firm of Bigelow and Wadsworth, which was also responsible for Edison's Boston Office Building, Power House and a number of other stations constructed in the early 20th century for the Edison Electric Illuminating Company.
Although built by the Edison Company, the station appears tohave been associated with the Newton and Watertown Gas and Light Company from about 1907 to 1909, but was again known as the (see continuation sheet) RertkEeer Street, Annual Report of City Engineer - 1910, Atlases and City Directories, Original photographs of the building at the Edison Station, Blographica/ Dictionary of s1merican Aribitarts, Withy, Boston Edison Company Centenaia/ 1886-1980 8/85 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity: Newton Form No: NC-046 (Newton Centre) Property Name: Boston Edison Power Station Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued belor.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (cont.) As it exists today, the Power Station is nearly square in plan and rises one story to an overhanging red tile hip roof with exposed rafters. It is constructed of stuccoed concrete with brick quoins defining bays, and cast stone trim elements, the most prominent of Which is a coved cornice with acanthus leaves encircling the bullding. The main Homer Street tacade (N) includes two slightly projecting end pavillions detined by brick guoins and cross-hip roofs flanking a narrower centrai section. Within this rigidly symmetrical framework, details vary in Mannerist fashion. The central bay contains a wide bricked- up opening with an elaborate leai-molded surround incorporating an eared architrave.
The leit bay, which appears to incorporate the original structure, contains an entry framed by Mannerist influenced half-length pilasters carrying a window ensemble in an aedicular frame. In the right bay a window takes the place of the entry. The side elevations (E & W) are both divided into two bays by a central brick quomn strip. On the west, each bay incorporates a wide entry identical to that of the central facade bay, flanked by small square windows; the doors have been replaced by stationary paneling and the windows are louvered. On the east, each bay contains a wannerist influenced entry identical to that of the east bay of the facade; they are also flanked by small square windows. Here, original four-panel double-leaí doors remain as does the four pane glazing of the windows. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (cont.) Edison Station by 1911.
On November 30, 1910, the adjacent Middlesex street kallway power station was discontinued and the Edison Station, newly enlarged, took over the job of providing power to the street railway system. In 1913, the building was again enlarged, bringing it to its present size. The transfer station converted AC power to DC f0r lighting and the street railways; today it is a distribution center for electrical service to the city of Newton. Staple to Inventory form at bottom INPS Form 109000 United States Department of the Interlor National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page - OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 Multiple Resource Area Themat ic Group Name State Newton MRA Middlesex County, MA Nomination/Type of Review Date/Signature Cuastonii Horáng S431. Old Chestnut I111 Hlstorie District (Boundary Increase) SRAoper 30t7 Sauoge 0z-16-92 132.
Pine Ridge Road--Plainfield Strieh Historic District Entered , the National Register fKeeper XlouByur 2/14150 133. Saco-Lowel1 Shope Housing.ntsfor49 tne District National Registes Attest /keeper DelorByan 2/10/80 134. West Newton Village CentertHed 95i Ebe District National Register Attest Reeper AelorBge 2/10/50 Attest 135. Windsor Road Historic District Eatered in the National Register /Keeper 6 AteluresByen 2/1640 Attest 136. Agudas Achim Anshei Sfafät8Yee898u8he National Register Kkeeper AelnmPyun 2/14150 Attest 137. Beston Edison Power Stationtered in the ckeeper sieuBgued 3/1616c National Register Attest Keeper AeluresByen 216220 138. Bruner Mayall, House Entered in the National Register Attest 139. Childs, Mayor Edwin O., House intered in the National Register teeper AiloreBgu 1126/90 Attest 140.
City Stable and Garage Hkeeper Heloreapgen 26190 Attest Entered in tbe National Regiater UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Boston Edison Power Station NAME: MULTIPLE Newton MRA NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Middlesex DATE RECEIVED: 1/02/90 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 2/02/90 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 1/1$/90 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 2/16/90 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 90000023 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: OPPERI PAPROBLEM: N ANDSCAPE: N TESS THAN S0 VEARS: N N PDIL: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N COMMENT WAIVER: N LACCEPT _RETURN REJECT 2/16/5U DATE Entered in the Hational Registes 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 relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage verbal boundary descriptio _UTMs boundary justificatio ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps _USGS maps - _photographs OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date _presentation Elison Eeetro Mimingting Co.
314 Nomer St. Neutn, MA Newton. MA-MRA Bester Fo-sen Aenor Staten c.Jenkins 1(87 neg. e Jackson Homesteach wew-souta NC-046 87-2-1 9 546 10 5440 CUMMINC DENNS 38625 53588 55 20 281 3 5408 502 Osc. 459 $100 5 P SECTION BLOCK 115I0 5l 12730 1079 1183 64 3 "TOMER STREET Edison 4 31108 31125 2690 2892 EASEMENT 49A 427 46 4170 387 49 9134 SEWER N 48 12730 1183 KOAD ROsD CUMMINAS 45 6800 /632 43 47 44 922 1033 Newton, MA-MRA 374 Homer Street SBL: 64-3-4 Assessors Map - Verified 1985 Page: 72SW Scale: 1"=40' Reduced 50% 42 54 -