Major Bibliographical References (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets.) Previous documentation on file (NPS): Primary location of additional data: - preliminary determination of individual listing (36 X State Historic Preservation Office CFR 67) has been requested - Other State agency _ previously listed in the National Register - Federal agency - previously determined eligible by the National _ Local government Register _University _ designated a National Historic Landmark - Other _ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey Name of repository: # Massachusetts Historical Commission _ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # Unitarian Memorial Church Name of Property Bristol County, Massachusetts County and State 10. Geographical Data Acreage of Property 1.94 acres UTM References See continuation sheet.
(Place additional UTM references on a continuation sheet) 1. 19 Zone 341520 Easting 4610630 Northing 3. Zone Easting Northing 2. 4. Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing _ See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property on a continuation sheet.) Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected on a continuationsheet.) 11. Form Prepared By name/title_Roger G. Reed, Preservation Consultant, with Betsy Friedberg, National Register Director, MHC organizationMassachusetts Historical Commission _ date September 1996 street & number220 Morrissey Boulevard _telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town_ Boston _ state MA _zip code 02125 Additional Documentation Submit the following items with the completed form: Continuation Sheets Maps A USGS map (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location.
A sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Photographs Representative black and white photographs of the property. Additional items(Check with the SHPO or FPOforany additionalitems) Property Owner (Complete this item at the request of the SHPO or FPO.) name street & number _ telephone city or town state _ zip code Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
Estimated Burden Statement:Publicreporting burden for this form is estimated to average 18.1 hoursper response including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief, Administrative Services Division, National Park Service, P.0. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; and the Office of Management and Budget,Paperwork Reductions Project (1024-0018), Washington, DC 20503. IPSFom 10.900-. United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet 8 1 Section number . Page OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts 8.
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Unitarian Memorial Church property in Fairhaven, a small town on Buzzards Bay in Bristol County, Massachusetts, forms one ofthe great masterpieces of early 20th century Gothic Revival architecture in the state. The church, with its attached parish house, and the former parsonage (Harrop Center) are a major commission of an important Boston architect, Charles Brigham. The complex survives in excellent condition and with remarkably little alteration since its completion in 1904. Representing exceptional skills in architecture, art, and craftsmanship, the Unitarian Memorial Church and Harrop Center are eligible for listing in the National Register under criterion C. The property is also eligible under criterion B, based on its association with the donor, Henry Huttleston Rogers, whose contributions to Fairhaven included a number of major public buildings.
No small town in Massachusetts has benefited more from one man donating so many major architectural monuments than has Fairhaven. The Unitarian Memorial Church is the largest and most ornate among several prominent building projects donated by Henry Huttleston Rogers, a Fairhaven native who had become a leading executive at Standard Oil Company. When Henry Rogers was born in 1840, the town of Fairhaven was a village of under 5,000 located on the Acushnet River opposite the more prosperous city of New Bedford. During Rogers' youth Fairhaven's economy was based primarily upon shipbuilding, farming and fishing, and afforded few opportunities for a person of exceptional entrepreneurial drive. He left town for the west in 1860, settling in the Pennsylvania oilfields at the time when John D. Rockefeller was beginning his career there.
With an apparent natural aptitude for inventiveness, Henry Rogers developed several improvements in the method of oil refining, the most important of which was his process to separate naphtha from crude, patented in 1871. This brought him into contact with Rockefeller during the early years of the founding of Standard Oil, which was organized in 1874. Rogers' skills were not just scientific, as he was equal to his contemporaries in his abilities as an organizer and an aggressive, speculative capitalist. His positions as a trustee of the Standard Oil Trust between 1885-1892, and a director from 1899-1909, merely suggest the extent of his involvement in what became the largest trust company in America. He was also heavily involved in the copper and natural gas industries, and in 1901 became a director of U.S. Steel Corporation.
By the time of his death in 1909, Henry Rogers was one of the leading capitalists in the country. Unlike the cantankerous J.P. Morgan, or the aloof John D. Rockefeller, all accounts testify that Rogers was a man of great charm and warmth when he was not engaged in moneymaking ventures, and this explains the close contacts he maintained with his former townsmen throughout his life. Rogers had been absent from Fairhaven for twenty-five years before he made his first major contribution to his native town, the Rogers Grammar School of 1885. This was followed by the Millicent Library (1891-92-NR), the Town Hall (1893-94-NR), a Masonic lodge and commercial block (1901), remodeling the old Unitarian church for a school (1901), the new Unitarian Church (1901-04), the Tabitha Inn (1905-06), and the High School (1906-NR).
In addition, he was (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet 8 Section number - 2 Page OMB Approval No.1024-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts responsible for the Fairhaven Water Works (1893), laying out several streets and sidewalks (1895+), subsidizing a new factory for the Atlas Tool Co. (1902), and filling in the millpond for Cushman Park (1903). Also, he built a family mausoleum in 1889 and a large summer home in 1895. The most prominent of these building projects were designed by Charles Brigham (1841-1925), a Boston architect whom Rogers consistently favored for his Fairhaven projects. Charles Brigham was born in Watertown, Mass., a year after Henry Rogers.
He was educated in local schools and apprenticed under an architect named Calvin Ryder. He then worked as draftsman under Gridley J.F. Bryant, who is often credited with having the largest firm in New England at the middle of the 19th century. After service in the Civil War, Brigham joined the office of John Hubbard Sturgis. In 1866 the two men formed a twenty-year partnership, Sturgis & Brigham, which lasted until the senior man's death in 1886. Among the major projects by this firm were the first Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, begun in 1872, and the Church of the Advent at the foot of Beacon Hill, begun in 1876. In 1889 Brigham and his partner at the time, John C. Spofford, were chosen to design the west wing of the Massachusetts State House. It was at this point in his career that he designed the library in Fairhaven for Henry Rogers.
Brigham's design for the Millicent Library is a granite building in the Richardson Romanesque style and is exceptionally picturesque in character. In contrast the next project, the town hall, employed XIII century French Gothic motifs. This building sets the stage for the Unitarian Church, an English Gothic design in the Decorated style. During its construction between 1901-04 Brigham employed two men who would become his partners. Charles C. Coveney (1874-1945) was born in Brookline and worked for Brigham as a draftsman before taking time to study in Europe. He can be credited with an important role in the design of the Memorial Church as ecclesiastical architecture was a specialization throughout his career. Less is known about Henry V. Bisbee(?-?), who was a Fairhaven native and apparently worked in the office as a construction supervisor.
A major project which followed the church in Fairhaven was the First Church of Christ, Scientist (NR-), in Boston, begun in 1904 and finished in 1906 by the newly established firm of Brigham, Coveney & Bisbee. The death of Henry Rogers' mother in 1899 led to his plans to build a new Unitarian church as her memorial. Land was purchased and four houses were cleared from the site in 1901. The cornerstone ceremony was August 9, 1901, with Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) as the principal speaker. He was a close friend of Henry Rogers and had already spoken at the cornerstone ceremonies for the town hall. The parish hall was completed first and dedicated on January 6, 1903. On October 4, 1904, the church was dedicated, although work probably continued on the interior. The entire cost was borne by Henry Rogers.
In addition to the architects, the names of some of the artists and craftsmen have been identified. The twenty stained glass windows were designed and executed over a five-year period by Robert Reid (1863-1920), a prominent muralist and portrait artist. Reid had studied and exhibited in France before (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet 8 Section number Page. M OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts settling in New York City. Important public projects by this artist included murals in the main building of the Columbia Exposition in Chicago, the Library of Congress building in Washington, D.C., and in the west wing of the Massachusetts State House.
In the latter project he would have worked closely with Charles Brigham. In addition to the stained glass windows, Reid painted "the Adoration of the Magi" in the Fairhaven Church, and may have been responsible for other artwork in the complex. Another artist, Charles Mills of Dedham, painted the mural representing Psalm 150 in the Parish House. The stone, bronze, and wood carvings were executed by the firm of John Evans & Co. of Boston. According to a 1971 newspaper article, much of the actual wood carving was done by two German-born Cambridge craftsmen, John Kirchmayer and Adelbert Zwink. These men, who were half brothers, brought to the project the traditions of wood carvings in their native Bavaria. They also provided the models for the bronze castings, Mr. Kirchmayer having been responsible for the doors to the sanctuary.
The overall decorating for the interior of the Parish House was by A.B. Cutter Co. of Boston. L.D. Wilcut & Son, also of Boston, served as general contractor for all three structures. No landscape architect has been identified, although the name of Sullivan, a local landscaping firm, survives in the church records. The Rogers family continued to provide some support to the church after its completion, starting with the memorial tablet to Henry Rogers designed by Brigham, Coveney & Bisbee in 1911. Descendants of Henry Rogers still attend annual family memorial gatherings at the church. The burden of the support, however, falls upon the small Unitarian Congregation. (Organized in 1819, this congregation had originally built a traditional wood meetinghouse. Constructed in 1832 and called the Washington Street Christian Church, it is located at 32 Washington Street.
When construction on the new church was begun, Rogers had the old building converted for use as a school by Brigham's firm. In 1944 it was much altered for a boy's club, and in 1984 it became the Fairhaven Activity Center.) Due to the munificence of one extraordinary individual, the Unitarians of Fairhaven have the responsibility to maintain one of the most architecturally magnificent churches in the Commonwealth. Archaeological Significance Historic archaeological resources described above have the potential to provide detailed information on mid to late 19th century residential life in Fairhaven during a period in which the town grew from a village opposite the city of New Bedford to a more urban community. Structural remains from pre- existing residences (4) can provide specific details on the homes which were demolished prior to construction of the church.
Detailed analysis of occupational related features can also provide information on the residents of the homes and the community at large during the time the homes were extant. (END) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet 1 Section number. Page OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts 9. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Adams, Oscar Fay, "A New England Architect and His Work", New England Magazine, Vol. 36, June, 1907, No. 4, pp. 432-48. Fairhaven Star, January 10, 1903, p. 1; August 1, 1903, p.4; December 19, 1903, p.3; October 8, 1904, p. 4; October 15, 1904, p. 1. Hildy, Ralph and Muriel, Pioneering in Big Business 1882-1911, A History of Standard Oil Co.
N.Y., Mosgrove, Mildred C., "America's Cathedral Beautiful," 1940, revised by Amy L. Young, 1968, privately printed by. the Memorial Church, Fairhaven. Mosgrove, Mildred, C., "The Memorial Church," 1906, 1960, unpublished manuscript, Unitarian Society of Fairhaven. New York Times, obituary for Charles C. Coveney, December 21, 1945, p. 21. Reeves, Dana G., "Fourth Generation, a digressive history of a building in Fairhaven, Mass.," undated manuscript, circa 1984. "Reid, Robert," Dictionary of American Biography, Vol. 15, N.Y., 1935, pp.479-80. "Rogers, Henry H.," ibid, Vol. 16, pp.93-96. The Sunday Standard-Times (New Bedford), "Tribute to a disappearing craft," August 22, 1971, pp.4-5. Thomas, Joseph D., editor, A Picture History of Fairhaven, Spinner Publications, 1988.
Tripp, Job, "History of the Unitarian Church of Fairhaven," 1882, 1906, unpublished manuscript, Unitarian Society of Fairhaven. (END) IIPS Form 10.900-2 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet 10 1 Section number Page OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts 10. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA Verbal Boundary Description The boundary of the nominated property is shown as lot 46 on the accompanying detail of the Fairhaven Assessor's map sheet #386. This is the property described in deeds filed with the Bristol County Registry of Deeds, Book 1944, add. 1937. The total lot area is 1.94 acres Boundary Justification The boundary includes the entire parcel of land belonging to the Unitarian Society of Fairhaven.
It includes the church, parish house, and former rectory constructed in 1901-1904, and the entire parcel of land originally donated with the church and bounded by Green, Centre, Union, and Walnut streets.
(END) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Rogers Memorial Church NAME : MULTIPLE NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Bristol DATE RECEIVED: DATE OF 16TH DAY: DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: 10/22/96 11/21/96 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 11/05/96 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 12/06/96 REFERENCE NUMBER: 96001374 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 11-22- 99 DATE ABSTRACT/ SUMMARY COMMENTS : Entered in the National Begisten RECOM./CRITERIA REVIEWER TELEPHONE DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N Unitarian Memarial Church 102 Greenst., Feirhauen Bristoal Co., MA Willowghhy Ellott M.y,1795 Unitarion Sos.
f Faichaven No.l Chursk frow SE ER BED Sanctuay- Tower 3 Cloister pom Green Street (Est) Unitarion Menorial Churh 102 Green St, Faichuven Brstor Go. MA Willowghg Elliatt May, 1975 Unitarian Sex. f Faiebauen No. 2, Touee From NE MAN Sanctwiry (South) Bonge Doors Unitarian Memorial Chorch 102 Grean St, Fairhnuen Bristol Co. MA Willanghby Elliott May, 1795 Unitarion Society & Fairhouen Wo. 3 Dooos to Sauctuary, south aleuati ODAK Sanctuary -wbst Sanetuany-west Unitonion Meraorial Church 102 Grrmn St, Foichouen Brratal Go., MA Will oughby Ellott May, 1995 Unitarim Sou f Faiahouen No. 4, Souctuary, wost elevation Unitario Memorial Chursh 102 Gresa St. Fairhsuen Bristol Co. MA Willouglhy Elliott May , 1915 Unitarion Sac F Frichanea No.5 Church conggles Frow N E Unitarion Menaorial Chursh 102 GeeenSt., Faishowen Bristor Co. Møt Willoughdy Elliott May 1795 Unntarim Sos.
A Faichouen 16.6 Parisb Haele, esst elrratedn Ulnitanian Memauial Churrh 102 Geeen St, Fais hourn Bristal Co., mA Willoughty Elliott Mann, 1995 Unntovion Sac f Foichauen No. 7 Parish Hruse, from NW Unitarion Memorial Churrh 102 Grene St, Firhoue- Bristr ra, MA Willoughty Ellistt May 1995 Unitarian Soe f Faichoueo No. 8 Pasish Housa, west elruation ED Unitovion Memoual Churh 102 Gresn St, Faishouon Bristl Co, MA Willowgnly Elliet May, 1875 Unitaion Soe. & Feishauar No. 9 Parsmoge (Harep (entor) Fron NE AE O AEO AC COK JSVe LEATA The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Massachusetts Historical Commission 15 October 1996 Carol Shull Keeper National Register of Historic Places Department of the Interior National Park Service P. O. Box 37127 Washington, D. C. 20013-7127 Dear Ms.
Shull: RECEIVED 2280 OCT 2 2 1996 Enclosed please find the following nomination form: Rogers Memorial Church, 102 Green Street, Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts, 02719 Sincerely, Betey Fruedhey Betsy Friedberg National Register Director Massachusetts Historical Commission enclosure CC: Donald Despres, Chairperson, Fairhaven Historical Commission Rev. Robert A. Thayer 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125 - (617) 727-8470 Fax: (617) 727-5128 TDD: 1-800-392-6090 - NPS Form 10-900 (Rev. 10-90) OMB No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (National Register Bulletin 16A).
Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the information requested. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional entries and narrative items on continuation sheets (NPS Form 10-900a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer, to complete all items. 1. Name of Property historic name_ Rogers Memorial Church other names/site numberUnitarian Memorial Church (preferred) 2. Location street & number 102 Green Street _N/A not for publication city or town Fairhaven -N/A vicinity state Massachusetts code MA county Bristol code_005 _ zip code 02719 3.
State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority undertheNational Historic Preservation Act of 1986, as amended, I hereby certify that this nomination -request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Registerof Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion,the property meets -does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this propertybe considered significant - nationally O statewide @'locally. (- See continuation sheet for additional comments.) Judith s. MDonoush/888 Signature of cetifying officia/Title Judith B.
McDonough, Executive Director October 15, 1996 Date Massachusetts Historical Commission, State Historic Preservation Officer State or Federal agency and bureau In myopinion, the property meets does not meet the NationalRegister criteria. ( See continuation sheet for additional Comments.) Signature of certifying official/Title Date State or Federal agency and bureau 4. National Park Service Certification I, hereby certify that this property is: - entered in the National Register - See continuation sheet. - determined eligible for the National Register - See continuation sheet. - determined not eligible for the National Register - removed from the National Register (explain): Signature of the Keepe Date of Action Additional Documentation Accepted Ealson o, Ball 413/97 Unitarian Memorial Church Name of Property 5.
Classification Ownership of Property (Check as many boxes as apply) X private - public-local _ public-State - public-Federal Bristol County, Massachusetts County and State Category of Property (Check only one box) Xbuilding(s) _ district site - _ structure -object Number of Resources within Property (Do not include previously listed resources in the count.) Contributing 3 Noncontributing building sites structures objects Total 3 Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register Name of related multiple property listing (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing.) N/A 6. Function or Use Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) RELIGION / religious facility / church-related residence Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions) RELIGION / religious facility 7.
Description Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) Late Gothic Revival Materials (Enter categories from instructions) foundation_STONE / granite wallsSTONE / granite, limestone; BRICK; STUCCO roof METAL / copper; STONE / slate otherTERRA COTTA (chimney) Narrative Description (Describethe historic and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) See attached. NPS Form 10-900-a (6-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number - Page - OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts 7.
DESCRIPTION Occupying a landscaped two-acre square bounded by four streets in the center of Fairhaven are the Unitarian Memorial Church, Parish House, and former parsonage (now Harrop Center), a complex of masonry structures inspired by the medieval architecture of England. The buildings are sited on the east half of the square, which is landscaped with grass, scattered trees, and granolithic walks leading to the various entrances into the buildings. Defining the boundaries of the square are quarter-round granite curbstones and brick sidewalks. The square is bounded by Centre, Walnut, Union and Green streets. Facing the square are wood-frame, single-family homes dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Within a block of the church on a side street are the library and town hall, two masonry structures designed by the same architect as the church.
Thus, the style and siting of the nominated property calls to mind the relationship between a great European cathedral dominating a small medieval town. Two of the structures, the church and parish house, are linked by a cloister and are in the Decorated style of Gothic architecture. The church sanctuary is two stories and runs east to west, with a corner tower at the northeast end. An entrance porch is on the opposite south east corner. Extending from the north side of the tower is a cloister that leads to the parish house, also a two-story building. The latter is perpendicular to the sanctuary with its principal facade facing east. Behind this building is the third contributing structure, the former parsonage, a T-shaped building of 2 1/2 stories. Unitarian Memorial Church As the focal point of the entire complex, the sanctuary and tower is the most dominant building on the property.
Constructed of brick bearing walls and faced with ashlar granite obtained from a local quarry, it is two stories high with a gable roof of standing seam copper. All of the carved stone ornament is Indiana limestone. The nave extends 115 feet and is flanked by one story ambulatories. Each ambulatory is divided into five bays by buttresses. These buttresses extend up to the clerestory in non-structural flying buttresses. The east end of the nave features a large ogee arched window with Gothic tracery and stained glass windows. This window is framed by buttresses which, like those on the sides, have pinnacles richly ornamented with carved stone crockets. The east elevation, which is the principal facade of the sanctuary, includes the 156-foot-high bell tower.
This tower has small windows at the first, second, and third stages and lacks extensive ornamentation below the open belfry at the fifth stage. The belfry has lancet-arched apertures and is also embellished with tracery, crockets, and finials. There are carved stone animals, birds, and foliage on the cornice and the stops for the label moldings. (continued) NPS Form 10-900-2 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet 2 Section number - Page OMa Approval No. 1026-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts The roof of the tower has a pierced balustrade consisting of crenelation and trefoils. At three corners are pinnacles embellished with crockets.
The engaged stairtower occupies the northeast corner, and it has a small lantern, which extends higher than the three pinnacles on the other corners. This lantern is polygonal rather than square and includes unfilled niches at each angle. There is little ornamentation on the body of the tower except for two beltcourses with carved stone panels and buttresses ornamented with gablets. The principal entrance to the sanctuary is through the south porch. This is the most richly ornamented feature of the exterior of the church and includes a portal with large paneled doors with carved wood figures. The stone buttresses at each corner have niches containing limestone figures sheltered by an elaborate carved limestone canopy. A second major entrance to.the sanctuary is gained through the west end facing the rear of the complex.
This elevation also supports a large ogee-arched window with tracery that is ornamented with decorative stone crockets and a finial.. This window is framed by small towers in the form of buttresses capped with pinnacles, and niches ornamented with crockets. Below the window is an entrance vestibule with a crenelated parapet consisting of carved Gothic panels. The doorway also features ogee-arched stone trim ornamented with crockets. The interior of the sanctuary is no less ornate than the exterior. All of the walls are faced with limestone. The nave extends into a choir at the west end of the sanctuary, where there is a massive Gothic arch framing the stained glass window. On either side of the nave are smaller Gothic arches below clerestory windows, which also have stained glass and tracery.
The ceiling is supported on a series of wood trusses, each having elaborate Gothic carving and a large six-foot wood angel. Directly above is a tie beam ceiling. Intricately carved wood paneling is also used for two organ cases flanking the alter, and for the octagonal pulpit, which is oak. The remainder of the Gothic ornament, including the ceilings to the ambulatories, are limestone with stellar ribs. Of particular note is the baptistery, which is marble and surmounted by a carved oak canopy. Directly above is a limestone ceiling in a Gothic fan design. The floors, pulpit base, and platform are marble, and there are thirty-two pews with backs and ends decorated with carved ornament. Similar Gothic ornament is found on the cloister linking the sanctuary to the Parish House. An outstanding feature here is the bronze double gates, intricately fashioned into Gothic motifs.
The roof ofthewalkway isflat, with the paneled crenelation and finials with crockets foundelsewhere on the church. Inside the cloister are carved stone corbel heads. (continued) NPS Form 10-900.1 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page - OMB Approval No. 102+-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts Parish House Like the church, the Parish House is of brick construction with limestone trim on the exterior. This structure has a long gable roof covered with red slate, which runs north to south. Paired gable end wings project from each side. On the east side, these gable ends terminate in polygonal bay windows. Between these wings, in the center of the elevation, is an entrance vestibule with an ogee-arched doorway and oak doors.
The two gable ends on the reverse, or west, side flank a wooden porch under a shed roof. The windows on the Parish House are square headed, with limestone Gothic hood moldings in the upper floor of each gable end. The principal decorative elements are the chimneys, which have very ornate terracotta pots, and the pinnacles at the bottom of each raking cornice. At the exterior corners of the roof, these pinnacles are larger than on the gable ends and are capped with lanterns having ogee roofs. The interior of the Parish House features plaster walls and oak floors, and includes major decorative spaces in the auditorium and the dining hall. The large auditorium has a ceiling with wood trusses that are molded and terminate in pendants. These trusses also have angel heads carved into the beam ends.
The panels in the tie beam ceiling are canvas and have stencil boarders in a Gothic design on a plain background. At one end is a stage framed by a proscenium arch surmounted by a Gothic arch filled with a painting illustrating Psalm 150. The dining hall has a coved ceiling, which also has molded wood paneling embellished with painted Gothic boarders. On one wall is a limestone fireplace with a massive stone mantel supporting two carved stone medieval figures. This room has allegorical designs painted on panels midway up the wall. The Parsonage (Harrop Center) The Parsonage (now the Harrop Center) was built as a residence and was inspired by English Tudor domestic architecture.
The granite first story matches the church and Parish House, but the upper story and a half is faced with stucco and wood half timbering with an overhang in a manner characteristic of medieval residential architecture. There are five gable ends and three dormers, each with decorative vergeboard and finials. The roof is red slate and the chimneys have ornamented terracotta chimney pots like those on the Parish House. The windows are all diamond paned and in a variety of sizes consisting of large single units, or groups of twos, threes, or fours divided by mullions. The windows have limestone surrounds, except for the bay windows, which are constructed entirely of that material. An open porch recessed beneath the gable end on the northeast corner is entered through an ogee-arched opening to the main entrance.
At the rear, or southwest, corner of the house is a polygonal porch supported on wood posts, with balustrades on the roof and deck. The deck balustrade has neo-classical turned balusters, an alteration from the original pierced Gothic design for the railing. The interior of the building includes an entrance hall with carved Tudor-style woodwork. (continued) NPS Form 10-900-1 (6-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number - Page. OMB Approval No. 1026-00rà Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts Alterations There are no significant alterations, to the buildings in this complex. Archaeological Description While no prehistoric sites are currently recorded on the church property or in the general area, sites may be present.
The church is located in close proximity to New Bedford Harbor and Buzzards Bay, both estuarine environments originally containing numerous resourcetypes exploited by Native Americans. In general, however, the locational characteristics of the nominated property, particularly its distance of over 1000' from wetlands, are not favorable for prehistoric site locations. Given the above information, the generally urban context of the area, construction of the four nineteenth century homes which predate the church and the church complex itself, the potential for significant prehistoric survivals is low. The potential for historic archaeological resources on the church property may range from moderate to high depending on the extent of impacts from church construction.
Archaeological resources consisting of structural remains and occupational related features (trash areas, wells, privies) may survive from four mid 19th century homes and outbuildings which were cleared from the property in 1901 prior to church construction. It is unknown at present to what extent these resources were demolished and, the effects construction of the Sanctuary, Parish House and Harrop Center had on any surviving resources. (END) Unitarian Memorial Church Name of Property 8. Statement of Significance Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.) _A Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. X BProperty is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.
X CProperty embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction. _ D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. Criteria Considerations (Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.) Property is: X Aownedby religious institution or used for religious purposes. _ B removed from its original location. _ C a birthplace or grave. _ D a cemetery. _E a reconstructed building, object, or structure. _ F a commemorative property.
Bristol County, Massachusetts County and State Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions) ARCHITECTURE SOCIAL HISTORY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING Period of Significance 1901 - 1946 Significant Dates 1901 - 1904, 1911 Significant Person (Complete if Criterion B is marked above) Henry Huttleston Rogers Cultural Affiliation N/A Architect/Builder Charles Brigham _G less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past 50 years. Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the significance of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) 9.
Major Bibliographical References (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets.) Previous documentation on file (NPS): Primary location of additional data: - preliminary determination of individual listing (36 X State Historic Preservation Office CFR 67) has been requested - Other State agency - previously listed in the National Register - Federal agency - previously determined eligible by the National - Local government Register _ University _ designated a National Historic Landmark Other - - recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey Name of repository: Massachusetts Historical Commission _ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # Unitarian Memorial Church Name of Property 10. Geographical Data Acreage of Property 1.94 acres UTM References See continuation sheet.
(Place additional UTM references on a continuation sheet) 1. 19 Zone 341520 Easting 4610630 Northing 2. Zone Easting Northing Bristol County, Massachusetts County and State 3. Zone 4. Zone Easting Easting _ See continuation sheet Northing Northing Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property on a continuation sheet.) Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected on a continuation sheet.) 11. Form Prepared By name/title_Roger G.
Reed, Preservation Consultant, with Betsy Friedberg, National Register Director, MHC organization Massachusetts Historical Commission street & number_220 Morrissey Boulevard _ date_September 1996 _telephone_(617) 727-8470 city or town Boston _state MA _ zip code 02125 Additional Documentation Submit the following items with the completed form: Continuation Sheets Maps A USGS map (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location. A sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Photographs Representative black and white photographs of the property.
Additional items (Check with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items) Property Owner (Completethis item at the request of the SHPO or FPO.) name street & number telephone_ city or town state _ zip code_ Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.). Estimated BurdenStatement: Public reporting burden forthis form is estimatedto average 18.1 hours per response including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form.
Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief, Administrative Services Division, National Park Service, P.0. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; and the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reductions Project (1024-0018), Washington, DC 20503. *NPS Form 10-900-2 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number . Page - OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts 8. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Unitarian Memorial Church property in Fairhaven, a small town on Buzzards Bay in Bristol County, Massachusetts,forms one ofthe great masterpieces of early 20th century Gothic Revival architecture in the state.
The church, with its attached parish house, and the former parsonage (Harrop Center) are a major commission of an important Boston architect, Charles Brigham. The complex survives in excellent condition and with remarkably little alteration since its completion in 1904. Representing exceptional skills in architecture, art, and craftsmanship, the Unitarian Memorial Church and Harrop Center are eligible for listing in the National Register under criterion C. The property is also eligible under criterion B, based on its association with the donor, Henry Huttleston Rogers, whose contributions to Fairhaven included a number of major public buildings. No small town in Massachusetts has benefited more from one man donating so many major architectural monuments than has Fairhaven.
The Unitarian Memorial Church is the largest and most ornate among several prominent building projects donated by Henry Huttleston Rogers, a Fairhaven native who had become a leading executive at Standard Oil Company. When Henry Rogers was born in 1840, the town of Fairhaven was a village of under 5,000 located on the Acushnet River opposite the more prosperous city of New Bedford. During Rogers' youth Fairhaven's economy was based primarily upon shipbuilding, farming and fishing, and afforded few opportunities for a person of exceptional entrepreneurial drive. He left town for the west in 1860, settling in the Pennsylvania oilfields at the time when John D. Rockefeller was beginning his career there. With an apparent natural aptitude for inventiveness, Henry Rogers developed several improvements in the method of oil refining, the most important of.
which was his process to separate naphtha from crude, patented in 1871. This brought him into contact with Rockefeller during the early years of the founding of Standard Oil, which was organized in 1874. Rogers' skills were not just scientific, as he was equal to his contemporaries in his abilities as an organizer and an aggressive, speculative capitalist. His positions as a trustee of the Standard Oil Trust between 1885-1892, and a director from 1899-1909, merely suggest the extent of his involvement in what became the largest trust company in America. He was also heavily involved in the copper and natural gas industries, and in 1901 became a director of U.S. Steel Corporation. By the time of his death in 1909, Henry Rogers was one of the leading capitalists in the country. Unlike the cantankerous J.P. Morgan, or the aloof John D.
Rockefeller, all accounts testify that Rogers was a man of great charm and warmth when he was not engaged in moneymaking ventures, and this explains the close contacts he maintained with his former townsmen throughout his life. Rogers had been absent from Fairhaven for twenty-five years before he made his first major contribution to his native town, the Rogers Grammar School of 1885. This was followed by the Millicent Library (1891-92-NR), the Town Hall (1893-94-NR), a Masonic lodge and commercial block (1901), remodeling the old Unitarian church for a school (1901), the new Unitarian Church (1901-04), the Tabitha Inn (1905-06), and the High School (1906-NR). In addition, he was (continued) NPS Form 10-900-2 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number - Page. OMB Approval No.
1021-00i8 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts responsible for the Fairhaven Water Works (1893), laying out several streets and sidewalks (1895+), subsidizing a new factory for the Atlas Tool Co. (1902), and filling in the millpond for Cushman Park (1903). Also, he built a family mausoleum in 1889 and a large summer home in 1895. The most prominent of these building projects were designed by Charles Brigham (1841-1925), a Boston architect whom Rogers consistently favored for his Fairhaven projects. Charles Brigham was born in Watertown, Mass., a year after Henry Rogers. He was educated in local schools and apprenticed under an architect named Calvin Ryder. He then worked as draftsman under Gridley J.F. Bryant, who is often credited with having the largest firm in New England at the middle of the 19th century.
After service in the Civil War, Brigham joined the office of John Hubbard Sturgis. In 1866 the two men formed a twenty-year partnership, Sturgis & Brigham, which lasted until the senior man's death in 1886. Among the major projects by this firm were the first Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, begun in 1872, and the Church of the Advent at the foot of Beacon Hill, begun in 1876. In 1889 Brigham and his partner at the time, John C. Spofford, were chosen to design the west wing of the Massachusetts State House. It was at this point in his career that he designed the library in Fairhaven for Henry Rogers. Brigham's design for the Millicent Library is a granite building in the Richardson Romanesque style and is exceptionally picturesque in character. In contrast the next project, the town hall, employed XIII century French Gothic motifs.
This building sets the stage for the Unitarian Church, an English Gothic design in the Decorated style. During its construction between 1901-04 Brigham employed two men who would become his partners. Charles C. Coveney (1874-1945) was born in Brookline and worked for Brigham as a draftsman before taking time to study in Europe. He can be credited with an important role in the design of the Memorial Church as ecclesiastical architecture was a specialization throughout his career. Less is known about Henry V. Bisbee(?-?), who was a Fairhaven native and apparently worked in the office as a construction supervisor. A major project which followed the church in Fairhaven was the First Church of Christ, Scientist (NR-), in Boston, begun in 1904 and finished in 1906 by the newly established firm of Brigham, Coveney & Bisbee.
The death of Henry Rogers' mother in 1899 led to his plans to build a new Unitarian church as her memorial. Land was purchased and four houses were cleared from the site in 1901. The cornerstone ceremony was August 9, 1901, with Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) as the principal speaker. He was a close friend of Henry Rogers and had already spoken at the cornerstone ceremonies for the town hall. The parish hall was completed first and dedicated on January 6, 1903. On October 4, 1904, the church was dedicated, although work probably continued on the interior. The entire cost was borne by Henry Rogers. In addition to the architects, the names of some of the artists and craftsmen have been identified. The twenty stained glass windows were designed and executed over a five-year period by Robert Reid (1863-1920), a prominent muralist and portrait artist.
Reid had studied and exhibited in France before (continued) NPS Form 10-900-2 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page - OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts settling in New York City. Important public projects by this artist included murals in the main building of the Columbia Exposition in Chicago, the Library of Congress building in Washington, D.C., and in the west wing of the Massachusetts State House. In the latter project he would have worked closely with Charles Brigham. In addition to the stained glass windows, Reid painted "the Adoration of the Magi" in the Fairhaven Church, and may have been responsible for other artwork in the complex.
Another artist, Charles Mills of Dedham, painted the mural representing Psalm 150 in the Parish House. The stone, bronze, and wood carvings were executed by the firm of John Evans & Co. of Boston. According to a 1971 newspaper article, much of the actual wood carving was done by two German-born Cambridge craftsmen, John Kirchmayer and Adelbert Zwink. These men, who were half brothers, brought to the project the traditions of wood carvings in their native Bavaria. They also provided the models for the bronze castings, Mr. Kirchmayer having been responsible for the doors to the sanctuary. The overall decorating for the interior of the Parish House was by A.B. Cutter Co. of Boston. L.D. Wilcut & Son, also of Boston, served as general contractor for all three structures.
No landscape architect has been identified, although the name of Sullivan, a local landscaping firm, survives in the church records. The Rogers family continued to provide some support to the church after its completion, starting with the memorial tablet to Henry Rogers designed by Brigham, Coveney & Bisbee in 1911. Descendants of Henry Rogers still attend annual family memorial gatherings at the church. The burden of the support, however, falls upon the small Unitarian Congregation. (Organized in 1819, this congregation had originally built a traditional wood meetinghouse. Constructed in 1832 and called the Washington Street Christian Church, it is located at 32 Washington Street. When construction on the new church was begun, Rogers had the old building converted for use as a school by Brigham's firm.
In 1944 it was much altered for a boy's club, and in 1984 it became the Fairhaven Activity Center.) Due to the munificence of one extraordinary individual, the Unitarians of Fairhaven have the responsibility to maintain one of the most architecturálly magnificent churches in the Commonwealth. Archaeological Significance Historic archaeological resources described above have the potential to provide detailed information on mid to late 19th century residential life in Fairhaven during a period in which the town grew from a village opposite the city of New Bedford to a more urban community. Structural remains from pre- existing residences (4) can provide specific details on the homes which were demolished prior to construction of the church.
Detailed analysis of occupational related features can also provide information on the residents of the homes and the community at large during the time the homes were extant. (END) NPS Form 10.900-2 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number - Page - OMa Approval No. 1024-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts 9. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Adams, Oscar Fay, "A New England Architect and His Work", New England Magazine, Vol. 36, June, 1907, No. 4, Pp. 432-48. Fairhaven Star, January 10, 1903, p. 1; August 1, 1903, p.4; December 19, 1903, p.3; October 8, 1904, p. 4; October 15, 1904, p. 1. Hildy, Ralph and Muriel, Pioneering in Big Business 1882-1911, A History of Standard Oil Co.
N.Y., Mosgrove, Mildred C., "America's Cathedral Beautiful," 1940, revised by Amy L. Young, 1968, privately printed by. the Memorial Church, Fairhaven. Mosgrove, Mildred, C., "The Memorial Church," 1906, 1960, unpublished manuscript, Unitarian Society of Fairhaven. New York Times, obituary for Charles C. Coveney, December 21, 1945, p. 21. Reeves, Dana G., "Fourth Generation, a digressive history of a building in Fairhaven, Mass.," undated manuscript, circa 1984. "Reid, Robert," Dictionary of American Biography, Vol. 15, N.Y., 1935, pp.479-80. "Rogers, Henry H.," ibid, Vol. 16, pp.93-96. The Sunday Standard-Times (New Bedford), "Tribute to a disappearing craft," August 22, 1971, pp.4-5. Thomas, Joseph D., editor, A Picture History of Fairhaven, Spinner Publications, 1988.
Tripp, Job, "History of the Unitarian Church of Fairhaven," 1882, 1906, unpublished manuscript, Unitarian Society of Fairhaven. (END) NPS Form 10.900-2 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet 10 Section number . Page - OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Unitarian Memorial Church Fairhaven (Bristol County), Massachusetts 10. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA Verbal Boundary Description The boundary of the nominated property is shown as lot 46 on the accompanying detail of the Fairhaven Assessor's map sheet #386. This is the property described in deeds filed with the Bristol County Registry of Deeds, Book 1944, add. 1937. The total lot area is 1.94 acres Boundary Justification The boundary includes the entire parcel of land belonging to the Unitarian Society of Fairhaven. It .
includes the church, parish house, and former rectory constructed in 1901-1904, and the entire parcel of land originally donated with the church and bounded by Green, Centre, Union, and Walnut streets.
(END) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACE VALUATION/RETURN SHEE REQUESTED ACTION: ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION PROPERTY NAME: Unitarian Memorial Church MULTIPLE NAME : STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Bristol DATE RECEIVED: DATE OF 16TH DAY: DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: 8/08/97 DATE OF PENDING LIST: DATE OF 45TH DAY: 9/22/97 REFERENCE NUMBER: 96001374 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL:N OTHER: N REQUEST: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: PDIL: N PERIOD: N SAMPLE: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N N N COMMENT WAIVER: N VACCEPT RETURN ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: 9/3/97 Additional Dooumentation Accepted RECON./CRITERIA REVIEWER pun apt 40 DISCIPLINE TELEPHONE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N A D per SARHt PETIT Vore uAsrNde The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Massachusetts Historical Commission RECENED AUG - 8 1997 NAT.
REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE July 30, 1997 Ms. Carol Shull Keeper, National Register of Historic Places P.O. Box 37127 Washington, DC 20013-7127 Dear Ms. Shull: 96-1374 not UnitariaMemerdl chendh, necorake Please find a technical correction for the recently listed nomination for the Rogers Memorial Church, Fairhaven (Bristol Co.), MA. We are requesting that the preferred name for listing be the Unitarian Memorial Church rather than the Rogers Memorial Church. The name Unitarian Memorial Church was used throughout the nomination (and appears on the heading of every page) and is the appropriate name by which the property should be known. We have revised the cover page to reflect this change, enclosed. If you have any questions about this change please give me a call. Thank you.
Sincerely, Betry Friedhurg/ Nt Betsy Friedberg National Register Director Massachusetts Historical Society enclosure 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125 - (617) 727-8470 Fax: (617) 727-5128 TDD: 1-800-392-6090 Website: www.magnet.state.ma.us/sec/mhc
Block