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ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and <br /> evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community.) <br /> This building combined fireproof construction and utilitarian function <br /> with graceful Classical Revival design. There are eight corbelled brick arches <br /> on the front and rear facades and six on the side elevations. The arches <br /> surmount the .large arched windows which light the major story of the building. <br /> Above is an accenting string course of several corbelled rows or brick, the <br /> outermost row of which is comprised of semicircular bricks forming a continuous <br /> half-round molding. The basement story is defined by a high water table. <br /> (see Continuation Sheet) <br /> HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state <br /> history and how the building relates to the development of the community.) <br /> Approval was finally granted by Town Meeting to lay tracks for electric <br /> trolley cars in Lexington in 1897. These replaced the horse cars which had <br /> been in operation since 1859. In 1900 the first trolleys of the Lexington and <br /> Boston Street Railway Company began to run. The company constructed car houses <br /> for summer and winter cars (demolished) and a fireproof powerhouse on Bedford <br /> Street. Electric power to run the cars was made by coal-fired steam dynamos, <br /> and stored in a storage battery house (demolished) . <br /> The last trolleys ran in 1926 and the tracks were torn up in 1927. <br /> Several businesses occupied the premises thereafter and during World War II a <br /> navy school was held here. The Knights of Columbus purchased the building in <br /> 1960, renovated it for their purposes and added one-story additions along the <br /> right side and rear. <br /> BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES (name of publication, author, date and publisher) <br /> "100th Anniversary Edition," Lexington Minute Man, December 30, 1971. <br /> Personal communication from James Cataldo. <br /> 10M - 7/82 <br />