Historic Building

North Abington Depot // 1894

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The North Abington Depot was built in 1894 from plans by notable architect Bradford Lee Gilbert in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, a design that typified many regional train stations following Henry Hobson Richardson’s commission by the Boston and Lowell Railroad. Construction on the depot began soon after the “North Abington Riot”, in which railroad laborers and local townspeople fought over the town’s right to allow a grade-level streetcar crossing over the train tracks. The railroad executives filed an injunction before the state supreme court, and Justice Marcus Perrin Knowlton, at a hearing, dismissed the bill, saying that since the Selectmen had acted within their right as representatives of the townspeople who owned the public highway, the Supreme Court had no reason to become involved. This decision was disputed by the railroad’s attorney, who advised them that this decision was not binding, which ultimately would be deemed incorrect. On August 15, 1893, fifteen local men (many of whom were sworn in as special police for the occasion) with the aid of fire hoses, withstood the onslaughts of more than 200 railroad laborers, armed wit h picks, shovels, and paving stones. After many were injured, the brawl ended. In the aftermath, the full bench of five Justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Court upheld the validity of the position taken by a single Justice, saying that any one member was in position to adequately interpret the law. This decision still stands and is quoted in similar cases in the field of jurisprudence. This depot was completed in 1894 by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad as a peace offering following the North Abington train riot and a visual reminder that no corporation, no matter how powerful, is superior to the right of the people and the laws of the land. 

Cogswell Tower // 1904

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The crown jewel of the nearly one square mile city of Central Falls, Rhode Island, is Jenks Park, the only large park in one of the densest cities in America. The land was a gift of Alvin Jenks, a descendant of the family which had been among the town’s earliest settlers and one of its leading industrial families, and provided a much-needed recreational/open space for the dense industrial city. In 1890, planning began on the park with consists of hilly terrain cut through by paved paths, rocky outcroppings, and large metal gazebos which were fabricated at the nearby Fales and Jenks machinery works. At the crest of the park’s hill is Cogswell Tower, a clock and observation tower given by a former resident, Caroline E. Richards Cogswell. The stone tower was designed by architect Albert Humes, who ironically, was serving as mayor of Central Falls at the time, which may represent somewhat of a conflict of interest to gain the commission… The Cogswell Tower stands 70-feet-tall and is constructed of rough stone with a pyramidal roof that was once surmounted by an eagle. Its most remarkable aspect, a circular, iron structure which surrounds the base appearing from below as a sort of Hula-Hoop to the tower. Jenks Park and the iconic Cogswell Tower remain as a source of pride for the City of Central Falls.

Former Essex County Jail // 1811

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The former Essex County Jail is a large and significant building in Salem, Massachusetts, that has seen a recent rebirth thanks to the intersection of historic preservation and the demand for new housing in many New England communities. Constructed of large, Rockport granite blocks, the building was constructed in two phases—the section to the east was constructed in 1811-13 while the parallel west wing dates to 1884, with each of the construction dates inscribed at the top of the pediments on the south elevation. Completing the complex is the 1813 Jailer’s Residence which sits at the edge of the now enclosed courtyard. Those who were committed here were largely sentenced to short terms, many for the offense of drunkenness or petty theft. Inside, prisoners did all the labor, such as cooking, baking, firing the boilers, etc., with the female inmates making clothing for all inmates. The jail was in operation until 1991, and at that time was considered the oldest active penitentiary in the United States. Years prior, in 1984, several detainees had successfully sued the county for inadequate living conditions, leading to the closure of the building. A preservation restriction was established for the building and in 2009, the property was conveyed to a developer who converted the complex into 23 apartments, with 19 in the old jail, three in the old jail keeper’s residence, and one in a converted carriage house. The great preservation/adaptive reuse firm of Finegold Alexander Architects furnished the plans for the successful renovation that provided a new life for a once crumbling eyesore.

Essex County Registry of Deeds // 1909

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The Essex County Registry of Deeds and Probate Courthouse on Federal Street in Salem, Massachusetts, was built in 1909 from plans by Boston architect, Clarence Blackall. The Neo-Classical courthouse adds to the rich tapestry of Civic buildings there, showcasing the ever-evolving tastes in architecture as the buildings become more contemporary as you move westward down the street. The two-story granite and cast-stone faced brick masonry building is cross-shaped in plan, consisting of a three-bay wide gable-end entrance with Ionic porch of six fluted columns supporting a dentilled entablature and pediment. The central bay within the entry porch contains a large double-door entrance with elaborate architrave and a scrolling pediment incorporating Classical motifs and a Greek god bust. The building underwent a massive restoration in 2017, and was renamed the Thaddeus Buczko Building after retired First Justice Thaddeus M. Buczko.

Old Essex County Superior Courthouse // 1861

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Located to the west of the Old Granite Courthouse on Federal Street in Salem, the Old Essex County Superior Courthouse is a visual depiction of the emergence of the Victorian styles from the more Classical Greek mode. Originally built in 1861 from plans by Salem architect, Enoch Fuller, the building was distinctly Italianate in style and built of brick until a major renovation in 1889 gave the building its present Richardsonian Romanesque appearance. The building was enlarged and renovated by architects Holman K. Wheeler and W. Wheelwright Northend which includes: changes to the roof line, creation of dormers, alterations to the window surrounds to create Romanesque arches and more. A three-story projecting pavilion, whose first floor is finished with rusticated brownstone, contains a recessed entry with a large semicircular arch supported on three columns with carved capitals at each end. The central pavilion resolves into a gable with corner pilasters with carved finials centering a blind arch containing the full date span of the complex, “1861-1891” in a field of square rusticated brownstone blocks. The courthouse remained in use until the J Michael Ruane Judicial Center at the end of the block was completed in 2012. The Old Granite Courthouse and adjacent Old Superior Courthouse were both vacated and have been essentially mothballed ever-since under the ownership of the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance as surplus. The fate of the two buildings remains undetermined.

Essex County Old Granite Courthouse // 1841

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Aligned in a row on the north side of Federal Street in Salem, the Essex County Court complex is a tour de force of the evolving architectural tastes of three centuries. At the eastern edge of the complex, the Old Granite Courthouse stands as the oldest of the group. The two-story temple-form building is of rectangular plan with gabled roof oriented towards the street. The facade features a recessed porch with paired columns surmounted by Greek Corinthian capitals which are set between broad, squared Doric corner pilasters. The granite building was designed by architect, Richard Bond (1797-1861) of Boston, and the structure is often referred to as one of the finest Greek Revival-style Civic buildings in New England. The courthouse remained in use until the J Michael Ruane Judicial Center at the end of the block was completed in 2012. The Old Granite Courthouse and adjacent Old Superior Courthouse were both vacated and have been essentially mothballed ever-since under the ownership of the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance as surplus. The fate of the two buildings remains undetermined.

Liberty Tree Block // 1850

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The Liberty Tree Block is located at one of Boston’s oldest and most important intersections, Boylston and Essex streets. It is said that near this site, the Liberty Tree stood, and where in 1765, Patriots in Boston staged the first act of defiance against the British government under its branches, The Stamp Act protests. The tree became a rallying point for the growing resistance to the rule of Britain over the American colonies. The Liberty Tree was cut down by British Loyalists in 1775, but the tree’s symbolism lives on in the building constructed on the site 75 years later. Nineteenth-century real estate developer David Sears had this commercial block built in 1850, which housed stores at the street with ballrooms on the upper floors. The Liberty Tree Block is best-known and named so due to the wooden relief plaque of the Liberty Tree on the Washington Street elevation. The motif stands 8′ high and 5′ wide and was carved by ship carvers. The bas relief is inscribed with “Liberty–1765” across the top, “Law and Order” at its roots, and at the bottom, “Sons of Liberty, 1765. Independence of their Country, 1776.” The building (and its carving) are protected Landmarks in Boston.

Ancient Landmark Building // 1887

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Tucked away on Boylston Place, a dead-end pedestrian way off the bustling Boylston Street in Boston, you will find a collection of 19th century buildings that have miraculously survived over a century of growth, urban renewal, and rebirth. This is the Ancient Landmark Building, constructed in 1887 as a IOOF Lodge. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political, non-sectarian international fraternal order established in the United States 1819. The four-story Ancient Landmark Building blends Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival styles effectively with its two arched openings, arched windows in the top floor and two-story metal projecting bays. In the 1970s, the building was listed as “substandard” by the infamous Boston Redevelopment Authority, and luckily did not get demolished as part of its Urban Renewal push. The property was eventually acquired by Emerson College, a great steward for historic buildings and cultural institutions, who restored the building and built a new dormitory above and alongside the Ancient Landmark Building. The project preserves the important streetscape of Boylston Place, while providing needed dormitories for the school.

Basilica of St. Stanislaus // 1908

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The Basilica of St. Stanislaus is a landmark church building in Chicopee, Massachusetts, with strong ties to the city’s industrial and immigrant past as well as a landmark of the city’s rebirth and growth. The congregation was founded and financed by Polish immigrants who had arrived in Chicopee, beginning in the 1880’s. The young Poles were determined to establish and finance their own church in which they could worship in their own native language and espouse their Polish customs and traditions with a sense of community. The church was founded at a time where Polish immigrants were settling in Chicopee, finding work at local factories. The Polish population of Chicopee surged in the late 19th into the early 20th centuries from just 200 residents in 1885 to over 9,000 in 1914. The first St. Stanislaus Church was a small frame structure built on this site in 1891. The present church was built in 1908 from the designs of architects Robert J. Reiley and Gustave E. Steinback and is Byzantine Revival in style. Constructed of brownstone with cathedral-like qualities, the facade is dominated by a pair of monumental masonry towers. Its spires are composed of copper drums which are surmounted by graceful belvederes and are pierced by arched openings. In 1991, Pope John Paul II raised the status of the church to a “minor basilica“, a classification that remains to today, one of just a handful in New England.

Hotel Essex – Plymouth Rock Building // 1900

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The construction of a new South Station Terminal in 1899, prompted a development boom for the nearby area, which had for the previous decades been almost entirely mercantile and centered around the leather and woolen industries. Due to increased land values and an influx of travelers to the area, developers saw an opportunity to erect this building to serve as a hotel for visitors to Boston via South Station. Boston architect, Arthur H. Bowditch, furnished plans for this building in the Beaux Arts/Renaissance Revival style, with use of brick and limestone construction, ornate finishes at the façade including the fluted pilasters, arches and cartouches in the spandrels. The building was completed in 1900 and known as Hotel Essex and featured a long, storied history as a hotel until it closed in the second half of the 20th century. After years of deteriorating conditions, the building was adapted as the corporate offices for Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation in 1982. The building was restored and has been known as the Plymouth Rock Building ever since.

South Station // 1899

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When the railroads serving Boston were first laid out and built, each line stopped at its own terminal which created a dysfunctional and cumbersome travel experience for those entering or leaving the city. The Boston Terminal Company, established in 1897, was charged with the task of consolidating service from the four terminals at a single terminal, a union station (similar to North Station), for routes south of the city. South Station was designed by architects were Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge of Boston and quickly became New England’s busiest transportation center. The five-story Classical Revival style station built of stone is an architectural landmark with three-story Ionic colonnade crowned by a clock surmounted by an eagle, stands above the triple-arched brick masonry lower level corner entrance. While the station handled 125,000 passengers each day during World War II, post-war passenger rail traffic declined in the US. South Station was sold to the Boston Redevelopment Authority in 1965 and (surprise!) they demolished portions of the building and later developed plans to demolish the rest of the station and replace it with a multi-use development including a new train and bus station with large parking garage. Luckily for everyone, the BRA failed in this endeavor and the building remained to the point where public transportation is again invested in and beloved and the building has since been restored. Recently, a glass “crown”, known as South Station Tower, a 51-story designed by Pelli, Clarke & Partners, with new office space, luxury residences, and a redesigned, arched interior concourse (which in my opinion, is the best part). The redevelopment is a push towards transit-oriented development and blends new and old in an innovative way.

What do you think of it?

West Cornwall Covered Bridge // 1864

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The West Cornwall Covered Bridge spans the the Housatonic River in the town of Cornwall, Connecticut and is one of three historic covered bridges in the state. Records indicate that a bridge was in this location as early as 1762, but many were destroyed by floods and storms over the years, and even in the past century, flooding as a result of the 1938 New England hurricane and the flood of 1955, threatened to wash the bridge away, but she survived. The 172-foot bridge has been depicted in paintings, photographs, and movies, including Valley of the Dolls a 1967 film. The charm of a historic New England covered bridge is so enchanting and has been a draw for tourists to stop by this amazing town for decades.

Old Goshen Town Hall – Goshen Players // 1895

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The first purpose-built official town building of Goshen, Connecticut, was this wood-frame structure at the main junction in the central village as the town’s first town hall. Built in 1895, the structure originally housed offices for the selectmen and town clerk, a fireproof vault for records, and a large audience-room with stage for town meetings and ceremonies. The building employs a more traditional form similar to the old Greek Revival meetinghouses built in New England in the first half of the 19th century, but with a shingled, Victorian entry tower with bell roof. When the Town of Goshen moved into its present town hall building, this structure became the home to the Goshen Players, a community theatre established in 1949, and is the second oldest continuously performing theatre group in the state.

Rockland Security Trust Building // 1912

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The Rockland Security Trust Building is a significant Colonial Revival style bank structure located on Main Street in Downtown Rockland, Maine. Built in 1912 from plans by Boston architect Richard Clipston Sturgis, the brick building is trimmed in marble, to provide a visual representation to the financial wealth and stability the bank could provide its clients. The bank closed and the building is presently occupied by an art gallery. Sadly, the rooftop deck railing takes away so much from the building’s presence.

Custom House Block // 1853

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This stately commercial block is found on Main Street in Rockland, Maine. The block originally housed the local custom house (before a larger, purpose-built custom house was erected nearby in 1873) with other retail and commercial spaces at the ground floor with offices and meeting space above. The block is a great example of the Italianate style with an intricate brick corbeled cornice and cast iron and marble storefronts. The commercial space occupied by the First National Bank also exhibits a stone medallion with deer set within a wreath over the entrance. The detail that stood out to me most was the cast iron lintels over the windows, with the second floor lintels including a man’s face! The building is well preserved and is today occupied by local businesses.