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438 NPS Form 10-900 (Rev. 10-90) OMB No. 1024-0018 RECEIVED 2290 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service APR | 8 1997 National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NAT FLACES 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_General George L. Hartsuff, Post #74 other names/site number_Grand Army of the Republic Hall (preferred) 2. Location street & number 34 School Street city or town_Rockland N/A not for publication N/A vicinity state_Massachusettde_MA _ county_Plymouth _ code_023 zip code _02370 3. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National 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 Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property Ameets - does not meet the National Register Criteria.
I recommend that this property be considered significant - nationally - statewide /flocally. (See continuation sheet for additional comments.) sudithB.M.Donough 4/8/97 Signature of certifying officia/Title Judith B. McDonough, Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Commission, State Historic Preservation Office State or Federal agency and bureau In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria. (See continuation sheet for additional Comments.) Signature of certifying official/Title Date State or Federal agency and bureau 4. National Park Service Certification 1, 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 - other (explain): Date of Action 5/16/97 Grand Army of the Republic Hall Name of Property 5. Classification Ownership of Property (Check as many boxes as apply) X private _ public-local - public-State - public-Federal Plymouth County, MA County and State Category of Property (Check only one box) X building(s) _ district _ Site _ structure _ object Number of Resources within Property (Do not include previously listed resources in the count.) Contributing Noncontributing 1 0 buildings sites structures 2 objects 3 0 Total 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 multipleproperty listing.) N/A 6.
Function or Use Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) SOCIAL: Meeting Hall, Clubhouse Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions) SOCIAL: Meeting Hall, Clubhouse 7. Description Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) QUEEN ANNE Materials (Enter categories from instructions) foundation Granite walls Wood: weatherboard roofAsphalt other Wood Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number - Page - Grand Army of the Republic Hall Rockland (Plymouth County) Massachusetts 7. DESCRIPTION The General George L.
Hartsuff, Post #74, Grand Army of the Republic Hall (G.A.R.)is sited on the corner of School and Blanchard Streets in Rockland, a town in northwestern Plymouth County, Massachusetts. The G.A.R. Hall is located one block to the east of Union Street, Rockland's main street and town center. The property is part of a neighborhood of mixed usage with commercial buildings on Union Street; residential buildings on School, Blanchard, and Franklin Streets; religious buildings, such as the First Church of Christ Scientist, on Franklin Streets; and industrial buildings such as the Kirwan factory on Vernon Street. Abutting the G.A.R. property to the west is an asphalt-surfaced parking lot for the Rockland Federal Credit Union. Mid-to-late nineteenth century residences comprise the remaining architectural stock of the area in direct proximity to the Hall. The G.A.R.
Hall is centered on a small rectangular 50' X 117' site that slopes gently to the southeast. The building is set into the slope, exposing the entire wall of the foundation on the east elevation. A narrow patch of grass approximately 110' X 4' grows along the west side of the building and a small grass covered yard approximately 10' X 50' extends from the front of the building to the public sidewalk. An asphalt-surfaced walkway leads from the sidewalk to the front steps of the building. A low granite curb divides the front yard from this sidewalk. A granite retaining wall approximately four-and-a-half feet in height supports the front yard on the eastern side of the property. The G.A.R. Hall was designed and built in 1899, by Mr. William Harrison Hebberd, a builder from the town of Rockland.1 It is an example of late nineteenth century Queen Anne style social hall architecture. The G.A.R.
Hall is a wood-framed, two-and-a-half story building, rectangular in plan, which is oriented on a north/south axis. Its steep hipped roof is covered with rectangular dark gray asphalt shingles and the entire building is sided with uniform narrow wooden clapboards. The foundation, which is visible on all elevations, is constructed of rough-faced granite blocks and projects approximately three feet from ground level on all elevations, with the exception of the eastern where the foundation is completely exposed and is approximately five feet in height. All elevations have simple wooden corner, base, and fascia boards as well as a deep cornice decorated with a cyma recta wooden molding. The south (main) elevation comprises three bays.
Projecting from the center bay on the first story is an entrance porch which is elevated from ground level by five steps with a simple wooden railing in the (continued) 1 Research at local archives has not revealed any other buildings designed by Mr. William Harrison Hebberd in the town of Rockland, Massachusetts. NPS Form 10-900-a (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 - 7 Page - 2 Grand Army of the Republic Hall Rockland (Plymouth County) Massachusetts enter of the run. On each side of the steps is a more elaborate wooden railing with a newel post at the bottom of each run terminating in a wooden ball at its top. The porch has wood railings with turned balusters which stand approximately three feet in height.
The roof of the porch is supported by a group of three Doric columns approximately nine feet in height in each of the front corners of the porch. The rear corners of the porch are ornamented with single Doric pilasters similar in height to the front columns. The roof of the porch is hipped and covered with gray asphalt shingles matching those on the roof of the building. Paired carved brackets support the cornice and are located above each set of columns. The porch leads to the main entrance which is composed of a wooden paneled double door with single square clear glass panes in its upper portions. Centered above the entrance porch on the second story is a large, stained glass, triple window, which includes vertically oriented, proportionally similar rectangular windows. The large center window has only one pane, while the two smaller flanking windows are one-over-one sashed.
All windows on the second floor of the G.A.R. Hall are original stained glass and have simple flat wooden surrounds. The west bay of the south elevation includes a double hung, one-over-one sashed window with wooden molding surrounds on the first story and a double hung stained glass window on the second story. The east bay is composed of a small square one-paned stained glass window with wood molding surrounds and a double hung, one-over-one sashed stained glass window on the second story. A gabled dormer projects from the center of the roof slope on the south elevation. The dormer contains three small one-over-one sashed, double hung windows on its south elevation. The overhang of the gable is embellished with a wood molding and carved brackets perpendicular to each other in each corner. The dormer is covered in clapboards and its roof is clad with gray rectangular asphalt shingles.
The east elevation comprises eight bays of irregularly inserted windows on both stories and a fully exposed basement. The windows on the G.A.R. Hall were placed for their function on the interior and not for symmetry on the exterior, which accounts for the irregularity of the window placement on both the east and west elevations. The exposed basement story has two small rectangular doors and five square windows, all of which are currently covered with plywood. The first (southernmost) bay here includes a small, one-paned, stained glass window with wooden molding surrounds. The second bay (moving south to north) comprises a larger one-paned stained glass window on the first story and a double hung, one-over-one sashed stained glass window on the second story.
The third bay has two small double hung, one-over-one sashed windows on the first story and a characteristic double hung, one-over-one sashed stained glass window on the second story, while the fourth bay includes only a double hung, one-over-one sashed first story window and no window on the second story. The fifth bay comprises a one-over-one sashed stained glass window on the second story and there is no first story window. Moving north, the sixth bay has only a double hung, one-over-one sashed first floor window, while the seventh bay includes a double hung, one-over-one sashed window on the first story and a (continued) OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Nro rorm 10-s0v-d (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number.
7 Page 3 Grand Army of the Republic Hall Rockland (Plymouth County) Massachusetts double hung stained glass window on the second story. The eighth bay comprises a double hung, one- dormers are covered in clapboards with wooden cyma recta molding at the cornice line. The north (rear) elevation is composed of three bays. A secondary entrance to the building is located in the easternmost bay. A simple (not original) plywood door and a simple wooden porch characterize this rear entrance. The door is cased with flat wood molding and is accessed by wooden stairs with a plain wood railing. Slightly to the west of the door on the second story is a one-over-one sashed stained glass window. A red brick chimney (no longer functional) is located between the easternmost bay and the middle bay.
It rises up the exterior of the entire height of the building and projects approximately seven feet from the roof line. The middle bay includes a first story window which has been covered in plywood. In the westernmost bay is a double hung one-over-one sashed first story window and second story one-over-one sashed stained glass window. The foundation is visible above ground on this elevation, within which one window covered with plywood is present. The western elevation is constructed with irregularly placed windows, similar to the east in this regard. This elevation is divided into roughly eight bays, with the southernmost bay having one characteristic double hung, one-over-one sashed first floor window. Moving north to south, the second bay consists of a characteristic second story stained glass window.
In the third bay there is only a double hung, one- over-one sashed first story window. The fourth bay is comprised of both a characteristic double hung first story window and a characteristic stained glass second story window, but these windows are not directly centered one over the other: the first story window is slightly to the south of the one on the second story. The remaining bays on this elevation each include one-over-one sashed, double hung first story windows and second story one-over-one sashed stained glass windows. The foundation here can also be seen above ground. Four basement windows, which have been covered in plywood, are even spaced along the exposed foundation. The west elevation presents two dormers identical to those on the east elevation.
The only significant landscape features on the site are two Civil-War era cast iron cannons which flank the pathway to the front porch steps. These are mounted on simple cement emplacements that raise the cannons approximately four feet from the ground. The G.A.R. Hall retains much of its original interior details in its five major rooms as well as in its hallways, ante-rooms, and closets. The Hall was designed to function as a social and meeting place. The first floor contains a small entry hall through which one proceeds into an open meeting room. In the (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet OMB Approval No.
1024-0018 Grand Army of the Republic Hall Rockland (Plymouth County) Massachusetts Section number - Page - southwestern corner of the building on this floor is an office which was traditionally a smoking room for members of the Grand Army of the Republic. The first floor also contains a second office, a kitchen, storage pantries, and restrooms. The entry hall contains a small ticket window, located just to the right of the main door, which was used to collect tickets to the various social functions held here. The main staircase is located in the southeastern corner of the building. An elegant wood-paneled elliptical arch leads visitors up the stairs to the more formal second floor. At each landing is a stained glass window, as are all the windows on the second floor.
These highly colorful stained glass windows were donated by members of local community organizations, military companies, or individuals. Each window has a unique design, variously depicting floral patterns, American flags, emblems symbolic of Civil War regiments or the G.A.R., and other patriotic designs. The names of the donors and those being remembered are painted on the individual windows. The second floor of the Hall is a series of ante- chambers which lead into the main meeting room. These chambers were used as lobbies and a place to loiter before a meeting began. The open rectangular main meeting hall has a wood stage at its northern end which was used for many plays, concerts, and other performance events that took place here. The western and eastern walls each have three stained glass windows. The northern wall has two stained glass windows on either side of the stage.
A small service stairway, which leads to the kitchen below, is located in the rear corner of the main hall. This space is furnished with leather covered folding chairs as well as an assortment of ceremonial furniture such as ornate Victorian chairs and podiums. Many of these furnishings appear to be original to the G.A.R. Hall and are still used for the various gatherings that convene in this large meeting space. The walls are covered with numerous portraits of the original members of Post #74. All the doors in the G.A.R. Hall have their original hardware including locks, doorknobs, door knockers, and message holes. The Hall retains its original plaster ceilings on both floors. The walls are half paneled with vertical wood slats below the chair rail and plastered above. Several of the original Victorian light fixtures remain in the entry hall, the smoking room, and stair hall.
The light fixtures in both the upstairs and downstairs meeting rooms have all been replaced with modern fixtures. The woodwork in the lower meeting room and kitchen area has been painted, while the remainder of the Hall is stained to its natural mahogany color. The G.A.R. Hall has experienced little alteration since its construction. Several of the basement windows and a window on the first floor of the northern elevation have been covered with plywood. All windows are currently covered with wire mesh to prevent vandalism. In the past ten years the Hall has fallen slowly into decline and is in need of some maintenance and modest repair, however, the building still stands much as it did when it was constructed in 1899. (continued) NPS Form 10-900-a (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 - 3 Grand Army of the Republic Hall Rockland (Plymouth County) Massachusetts Archaeological Description No prehistoric sites are recorded on the property or in the general area (within one mile). Locational characteristics for the building locale, particularly its distance from wetlands of over 1,000 feet indicate the building location is not well suite for most Native American subsistence and settlement activities. The property also lies in a heavily developed area in the center of Rockland. Given the above information, the lack of historic landuse prior to construction of the hall, and construction of the hall itself which has a full basement and covers most of the small (1/3 acre) lot, the potential for significant archaeological survivals either prehistoric or historic is low. (end) Grand Army of the Republic Hall Name of Property 8.
Statement of Significance