kids encyclopedia robot

Arlington Coal & Lumber facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Arlington Coal & Lumber
ArlingtonMA ArlingtonCoalAndLumber.jpg
Photo from 2008
Arlington Coal & Lumber is located in Massachusetts
Arlington Coal & Lumber
Location in Massachusetts
Arlington Coal & Lumber is located in the United States
Arlington Coal & Lumber
Location in the United States
Location 41 Park Avenue,
Arlington, Massachusetts
Built 1875
Architectural style Gothic, Stick/Eastlake
MPS Arlington MRA
NRHP reference No. 85001020
Added to NRHP April 18, 1985

The Arlington Coal & Lumber Company building is a really old and important building in Arlington, Massachusetts. It was built around 1875. This building is a great example of a style called Late Gothic Revival architecture. It has been a central place for the community for a very long time. In 1985, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's officially recognized as a special historical site.

What Does the Building Look Like?

The Arlington Coal & Lumber Company building is located on Park Avenue. You can find it in the Arlington Heights area. It's a two-story building made of wood. The roof has a pointed front, which is called a front gable.

Building Materials and Style

Most of the outside of the building is covered with wooden clapboards. These are long, thin boards that overlap. The very top part of the front roof has vertical wooden boards. This gives it a unique look.

Windows and Doors

On the first floor, there are four windows. The main entrance is between the two windows on the right. This door has decorative pillars on the sides. It also has a fancy top part with a small gabled roof. A small porch with a hip roof separates the first and second floors.

The upper floor has three tall, rounded windows in the middle. On each side of these, there are smaller round windows. The windows and doors on the sides of the building are placed in different ways.

A Hub for the Community

This special Gothic Revival building was built around 1875. It has been used for many different things over the years.

Upstairs Activities

The top floor of the building was a big meeting space. Many important events happened there.

  • People held political meetings to discuss local issues.
  • Religious services took place in the auditorium.
  • Social events, like parties and gatherings, were common.
  • Community activities, such as theater plays, were performed.
  • Dance classes helped people learn new moves.
  • Groups like fraternal societies also met there.

One interesting group that used the space was the Arlington Zouaves. They were a marching society that practiced drills.

Downstairs Uses

The first floor of the building was mostly used for businesses. For a while, it even housed a branch of the local public library. This shows how important the building was to daily life in Arlington.