HomeMy WebLinkAboutbedford-street_0045 FORM B — BUILDING Assessor's Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number
57/144 Boston
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION North
MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Town: Lexington
Place: (neighborhood or village)
Photograph
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Address: 45 Bedford Street
° , *� Historic Name: Lexington Fire Headquarters
Uses: Present: Fire Station
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Original: Fire Station
Date of Construction: 1946
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L• 3' 19 ,p��� *".� Source: Minute-man, June 19, 1947
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Style/Form: Colonial Revival
Architect/Builder: Leland & Larsen
Exterior Material:
Foundation: concrete
Topographic or Assessor's Map Wall/Trim: brick
Roof: asphalt
II Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
s II none
Major Alterations(with dates):
y I
I
Condition: good
Moved: no x yes Date
z.v A a Acreage: 1.39 acres
Setting: busily traveled road between Rt. 128 and
.� Lexington Center
Recorded by: Lisa Mausolf
Organization: Lexington Historical Commission
Date(month/year): December 2009
Follow Massachusetts Historical Commission Survey Manual instructions for completing this form.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET LEXINGTON 45 Bedford Street
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD,BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
If checked,you must attach a completed National Register Criteria Statement form.
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:
Describe architectural features. Evaluate the characteristics of this building in terms of other buildings within the community.
The Lexington Fire Headquarters at 45 Bedford Street is a brick structure designed in the Colonial Revival style which was
favored for the town's buildings in the early to mid 20th century. The northern portion of the structure is a two-story side-gabled
residential structure with 8/8 and 8/12 windows,brick quoins, a Classically-inspired door surround, exterior chimney and curved
first floor bay. The southern section consists of a three-bay,gablefront garage with cupola. The garage section is outlined by
quoins with cornice returns and a fanlight centered at the top of the gablefront.
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
Discuss the history of the building. Explain its associations with local(or state)history. Include uses of the building, and the role(s) the
owners/occupants played within the community.
The Lexington Board of Fire Engineers first discussed the idea of a new fire station and location to replace the Meriam Street
station in 1943. At a special town meeting in Jun 1944,town meeting approved the current location and voted$3600 to
purchase the land from Mrs. John Phelps. The sum of$3,750 was appropriated to draw plans and specifications. The building
committee consisted of George W. Emery,Donald E.Nickerson, George C. Sheldon, Gordon D. Richards and Aiden L. Ripley.
The architects were Leland&Larsen who later served as architects for alterations to the First Parish Church in 1948,the
Harrington School in 1955 and the Hayden Recreation Center in 1956.
At town meeting in 1945 $110,000 was appropriated to build the new fire headquarters. Twelve firms were invited to submit
bids and Tredennick-Billings Co. of Needham were subsequently awarded the contract. Work started in April 1946 and
construction was completed in the spring of 1947. On June 8, 1947, after sixty years on Meriam Street,the Fire Department
moved into its new building. At the time of its completion,the Minute-man noted that it is"unique in that none of the living
quarters are over the apparatus floor—an idea that saved considerable money" (June 19, 1947,p. 10).
BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES
Hinkle,Alice and Andrea Cleghorn. Life in Lexington 1946-1995: p. 13.
Lexington Minute-man,June 19, 1947.
Massachusetts State Archives,Building Inspector Plans.
Worthen, Edwin B. A Calendar History of Lexington, Mass. 1620-1946: p. 133.
Continuation sheet 1