20-30 Bromfield Street facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 20-30 Bromfield Street |
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20-30 Bromfield Street as it appeared in 2014
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| General information | |
| Type | Commercial |
| Location | 20-30 Bromfield Street, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates | 42°21′24″N 71°03′37″W / 42.356586°N 71.060154°W |
| Completed | 1847-48 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3.5 |
20-30 Bromfield Street is a very old and important group of buildings in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. It is special because it is one of the few buildings from the 1800s made of granite that are still standing in the city center. These buildings show us what Boston looked like a long time ago.
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Discovering 20-30 Bromfield Street's History
This building was constructed during a time known as Boston's "Granite Era." During this period, many business buildings were made from strong granite stone. However, not many of these old granite buildings are left today.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The building is actually three parts joined together. Each part is about three and a half stories tall. They each have three window sections on the front. The second and third floors are covered in granite. The roof is sloped and covered with slate tiles.
You can see tall granite pillars, called piers or pilasters, on the building. These pillars go up two stories. At the top of these pillars are special decorations called capitals. These capitals look like designs from ancient Egypt! This style is quite rare in Boston and is called Egyptian Revival architecture.
Who Built This Historic Structure?
A merchant named John Ballard built this row of buildings. His family had been active on Bromfield Street for many years. Construction started in 1847 and was finished by 1848.
Originally, there were five sections to the building. But the two sections on the left side were sold by Ballard's family later on. They were torn down in 1903 to make space for a new building called the Washington Building. The Ballard family no longer owned 20-30 Bromfield Street by 1888.
A Fire and a Landmark Decision
On July 7, 1982, a very large fire, called a seven-alarm fire, badly damaged 20-24 Bromfield Street. The fire caused a lot of damage, costing over $500,000. It destroyed many artists' studios and other offices inside.
After the fire, there were plans to tear down the damaged building. However, the Boston Landmarks Commission stepped in. This group works to protect important historical places in Boston. They stopped the demolition. On March 8, 1983, the commission officially named the outside of 20-30 Bromfield Street a Boston Landmark. This means it is a protected historical site.
