Monday, June 16, 2014 at 2:45: PM

Inventory No: BOS.1977

Historic Name: Old City Hall
Common Name: Boston City Hall, Old
Address: 41-45 School St
City/Town: Boston
Village/Neighborhood: Central Business District; Government Center
Local No: 0302856000
Year Constructed:
Architect(s): Bryant, Gridley James Fox; Gilman, Arthur D.
Architectural Style(s): Second Empire
Use(s): Business Office; City Hall; Restaurant
Significance:
Architecture; Commerce; Politics Government; Social
History
Area(s):
Designation(s):
Nat'l Historic Landmark (12/30/1970); Nat'l Register
Individual Property (12/30/1970)

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ADDRESS 4-1-4-5 School St COR. City Hall Avenue
NAME Old City Hall/ Boston City Hall
present original
tf So- ZSLllZ & 1 ^ SU3 -4REA Gov. Ct r .
DATE 1862-1865 NR Nomination Form
source
Gridley J.F. Bryant &
ARCHITECT Arthur Gilman "
source
3DHDER
source
OWNER
City of Boston/
original present
PHOTOGRAPHS 4 ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ 80
TTPE (residential) single
(aoa-residential}
double row.
city hall
2-ram. 3-deck tan
age.
NO. OF STORIES (1st to cornice) 3 o^A ^
high mansard roof
R c o r
with p.nrhing cupola
plus 1
3 recessed /per side
dormers 2 w/lintels & 3
porthole-type in
MATERIALS (Frame) clapboards shiaglas stucco asphalt asbestos alum/vinyl center.
(Other) brick ftoae? granite concrete iroa/steel/alum.
3RIEF DESCRIPTION French Second Empire public bldg. 9 bays on School St^-bay
Central projecting pavillion with emphasis on center bay, Which is flanked
by paired Doric columns (1st paired Corinthian columns (on 2nd &3 r d) & paired
pilasters on 4 supporting entablature and central triangular pediment. Roof
over center 3 bays is convex mansard with dormers & porthole windows.
3-story, 3-bay sections flanking pavillion; sides have straight-sided
EXTERIOR ALIZRATi.CN /aihor? aoderata drastic -mansard.
CONDITION good/ fair poor LOT AREA 26,84l
so.
NOTEWORTHY SITE CHARACTERISTICS Set back from School St. Adiangnt tn Ki ng' s
Chapel and Burying Ground
SIGNIFICANCE (cont'd oa reverse) Old City Hall is
significant as one of the first major struc-
tures in the U.S. to be built in the French
Second Empire style, as a nationally-known work
which inspired the building of other such
monumental Second Empire public buildings in the
U.S. in the 1870's and *80's, as 4he major
work of two of Boston's most important 19th c.
architects, and as the center of Boston city
government for just over 100 years.
Gridley James Fox Bryant (l8l6-l899) was one
of the most prolific and well-known Boston
"architect of the 19th century, designing YB/PF(June, 1980) NRr
NHL 12/30/70; NRIND 12/30/70
Themes (check as many as applicable)
Aboriginal
Agricultural
Architectural
The Arts
Cosaaerce
Communication
Comnrunicy/
development
X
Conservation
Education
Exploration/
settlement
Industry
Military
Political
X
Recreation
Religion
Science/
invention
Social/
humanitarian
Transportation
X
Significance (include explanation of "hemes checked above)
hundreds of public and commercial structures including the State Street Block,
Mercantile Wharf, Charles Street Jail&Transcript Building(322-328 Washington St.)
Co-architect Arthur D. Gilman (1821-1882) studied architecture in Europe and
became the 1st Boston architect after Bulfinch to open an office without an
apprenticeship. One of his Boston designs was the Arlington Street Church. With
George B. Post he designed the Equitable Life Assurance Bldg., considered to be
the 1st New York City bldg. equipped with elevators. After designing Old City
Hall, Gilman decame consultant to the office of the architect responsible for
most of the large federal buildings of the Grant Administration, Alfred B. Mullett
The design of Old City Hall was inspired by the extension to the Louvre,
done in 1852-7 under the reign of Napoleon III, The New Louvre was the centra^,
building of the Second^Empire style, ultimately the source of.U^S. versions-of the
new, monumental style.
The 1865 city hall replaced the Suffolk County Court House of 1810-12,
designed by Charles Bulfinch and later remodelled in 184-0 as Boston's first city
hall. By the '6o*s it was considered too small and too plain. The new Second
Empire buiding was supposed to be large enough for many years but early proved
inadequate^ City Hall Annex was constructed in 1912 on Court St, connected by
a rear bridge. After the new City Hall was built in the 1960's, Old City Hall
was readapted for quality office and restaurant use.
Preservation Consideration (accessibility, re-use possibilities, capacity
for public use and enjoyment, protection, utilities, context)
Listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places.
Suggested for designation as a Boston City Landmark.
Readapted for office use in the early 1970's by the Architectural Heritage
Foundation.
Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's
records, early naps, etc.J
1. National Register Nomination Form (BLC files)
2. Kirker, Harold, Architecture of Charles Bulfinch, p. 263-5.
3. Edwin Bacon, Boston of Today (1892) p. 38.
k. Marcus Whiffen, American Architecture Since 1780 (MIT Press, 1969) p. 103
(attach photo here)
FORM B - STRUCTURE SURVEY
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Office of the Secr et ar y, State House, Boston
1. Is t hi s st r uct ur e hi st ori cal l y significant to:
Town Commonwealth Nation
St ruct ure has hi st ori cal connection with the
following t hemes (See al so r ever s e side):
2. Town 3S<> | 977
St reet addr ess /
Name ^/
Original use
Pr esent use
Pr es ent owner dslZu
Agri cul t ure
Archi t ect ure
Ar t / scul pt ur e
Education
Government
Li t erat ure
Music
Commer ce/ i ndust r y
Science/invention
Travel / communi cat i on
Mi l i t ary affairs
Religion/philosophy
Indians
Development of t own/ ci t y
Open to public_
Date Style Jkv-W ^uMTC
Source of date Hfi&
Archi t ect
3 . CONDITION: Excellent Good Fai r Det eri orat ed Moved Al t ered Added
4. DESCRIPTION
FOUNDATION/BASEMENT: High Regul ar Low Mat eri al :
WALL COVER: Wood Bri ck Stone Other
ROOF: Ridge Gambrel Fl at Hip Mansard
Tower Cupola Dor mer windows Bal ust rade Grillwork
CHIMNEYS: 1 2 3 4 Cent er End End i nt eri or Cl ust er El aborat e I r r egul ar
STORIES: 1 2 3 4 ATTACHMENTS: Wings El l Shed Dependency
PORCHES: 1 2 3 4 Por t i co Balcony Recessed:
FACADE: Gable end: Front / Si de Ornament:
Ent rance: Side Front : Cent er/ Si de Det ai l s:
Windows: Spacing: Regul ar / i r r egul ar Ident i cal / Vari ed
Cor ner s: Plain Pi l as t er s Quoins Cor ner boar ds
OUTBUILDINGS
5. Indicate location of st r uct ur e in rel at i on to
nearest cr os s st r eet s and other buildings
6. Footage of st r uct ur e from st r eet
Pr oper t y has feet frontage on st r eet
Recorder
For
Photo
Date
NOTE: Recorder should obtain written per mi ssi on from Commi ssi on or sponsoring organization
before using t hi s form.
SEE REVERSE IDE
F O R M M H C - B I0M-4-67-944872
I 30S. 1977
RELATION OF SURROUNDING TO STRUCTURE
Neighboring St ruct ures
Style: Colonial Feder al Greek Revival Gothic Revival Italian Villa Lombard Rom.
Venetian Gothic Mansard Richardsonian
Use: Residential Commer ci al Religious Proxi mi t y:
Landscape Feat ur es: Agri cul t ure Open Wooded Garden: For mal / i nf or mal
Predomi nent Feat ur es _ _ _ _ _
Landscape Archi t ect
GIVE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC IMPORTANCE OF SITE (Refer and el aborat e on
theme ci rcl ed on front of form)
Type Buildings:
Conditions: Excellent Good Fai r Det eri orat ed
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND/OR REFERENCE
RESTRICTIONS
Original Owner:
Deed Information: Book Number Page
Regi st ry of Deeds