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INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Town Property Address LEXINGTON 1912 MASS. AVE. MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING 220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD 66 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125 HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The Hancock Congregational Church was organized in 1868 and for more than twenty years services were held in the former academy building at 1 Bedford Street. In 1887 a building committee was established to find larger quarters and Matthew H. Merriam served as chairman. Land was purchased west of the old Munroe House and a cornerstone was laid on July 26, 1892. The church was designed by Walter J. Paine of the Boston architectural firm of Lewis&Paine. The Dodge Brothers of Somerville were the contractors. The total cost of the building was approximately$45,000. The stained glass was fabricated by Redding&Baird of Boston and the organ was built at the factory of G.T. Hutchinson, Irvington Street,Boston. Services were first held in this church on August 20, 1893. A detailed description of the new church edifice appeared in the Lexington Minute-man on August 18, 1893: The edifice is of the rustic style of architecture, a trifle suggestive of the Norman,being built of field stone,with granite trimmings and wooden gables. It is a two story structure,picturesquely built,the four gables,together with a tower and porte cochere directly underneath, setting the building off to fine advantage. On the first floor is the chapel and auditorium seating 450,the chapel which is located on the front of the church in the semi-circular projection seating 250,both rooms being so arranged that they can be thrown together...The ceiling of the structure is of cypress, open timber, showing construction and giving much dignity to the church. The audience room is finished in quartered oak,while the other rooms in the second story are finished in whitewood. The floors are double throughout,the under floor being of hemlock and the upper of spruce. The interior of the church was finished with quartered oak. The walls were painted old rose and the low vaulted ceiling was light blue with sectional plaster moldings of light blue outlined in buff and cream tints. The carpets were pale buff and golden brown with a touch of pink. In 1922 the Church bought the adjacent Hudson property and in 1924 a parish house was constructed according to designs by Willard D. Brown. In the 1940s the chancel was rebuilt and refurnished including a new organ and console, alter and reredos. Also in the 1940s eleven classrooms were constructed in the basement of the church. A new chapel was added in 1950,taking part of the space formerly occupied by the vestry and leaving room for a narthex which was also added at the time. The Preston Wing was built in 1951 and included additional classrooms,Ladies Church Parlor, a nursery and improved entrance to the Parish House. The architects for the wing were Collens,Willis and Beckonert. In 1960 the Church School Wing was constructed,providing additional offices and classrooms as well as a church library. BIBLIOGRAPHY: American Architect and Building News, October 7, 1893. Department of Public Safety records,Massachusetts State Archives, Boston. Hudson, Charles. History of the Town of Lexington. Cambridge: The Riverside Press Co., 1913,vol. 1,p. 363+. Lexington Minute-Man,June 9, 1893; August 18, 1893. www.hancockchurch.org Supplement prepared by: Lisa Mausolf July 2009