City of Holyoke

Historical Commission
Historical Significance Assessment Form

Date of Submission: __Feb. 24, 2017_

Researcher(s): _Olivia Mausel

Property Title/Historical Name: Immaculate Conception Social Hall also known as Our
Lady of
Perpetual Help Mission Chapel-Crypt

Address: ___94 Ely St. Holyoke, MA

MACRIS-MHC # (if surveyed/listed): __HLY 3, HLY W (Flats-South Holyoke)

1. Rating on the Historical Resources Inventory Form

Highest Priority High Priority Medium High Priority X Other Priority

2. Date of the structure

17th century 18th century 19th century X 20th century 21st

century

Note: Early Date. Historic resources of the 18th C. and earlier are listed as of major significance based only on
age.

3. Age

It is the oldest example in: Holyoke The State The Region

Nationally
Comments:_____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Example: The 1770 Bushman Fuller house is one of the oldest 18 th c structure in Holyoke-
1770 Bushman Fuller house

4. Role played

Military Educational X Religious X Social Industrialist X Cultural Other

X Local role of significance:

This property began as a basement and one story building (1902-1904) but was never
completed as a
Church but was used for services for 25 years until the new church was built. Originally
it was build to
be the base for a huge Gothic structure, but it was not considered solid enough. The
property was
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 later used as a social hall seating 500 and storage facility

The Immaculate Conception parish began as a mission of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in
1905.
Originally built to be a church and equipped for services, plans were abandoned in favor
of the 1924
Immaculate Conception cathedral like building. It was used as a parish hall, gym,
auditorium and
bingo hall, stage and kitchen.
Regional role of significance:
____________________________________________________________________________________
National role of significance:
____________________________________________________________________________________

Note: Many historic resources played major educational, military, religious, social, industry or
other roles of local, state, or national significance.

5. Noted Resident(s)

Name(s): _____unknown______________________

Military Educational Religious Social Industrialist Cultural Other

Local role of significance:

__________________________________________________________________

Regional role of significance:

_______________________________________________________________

National role of significance:

_______________________________________________________________

Locally noted Regionally noted Nationally noted None noted

More than one noted resident How many? ____

Noted residents listed on Inventory Form:

___________________________________________________________

Other noted residents:

_____________________________________________________________________________

6. Archaeology

Listed sites on property? Yes X No

Have archaeological investigations been done on the property in the past? Yes
X No

List details of the archaeological investigations if known:

________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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 ___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Archaeological Context
The context of the archaeological resources will remain intact should this demolition
go forward? Yes X Somewhat No

Comments:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

7. Event

This property is the location of a significant event for:

X Holyoke The State The Region Nationally

Comments: Originally the early basement foundation of the French-

Canadian
Roman Catholic Church established in Holyoke by Rev. J.B. Campeau,
first pastor
of the parish.
There were two other French Churches in Holyoke: Our Lady of Perpetual
Help
and (Holy Rosary? Precious Blood?)
AT the start of the 20th century the French were still immigrating to
Holyoke. Their
increasing population in the northeast section saw the need for a new
French
Church, the third in the City.

8. Architecture

Style Classification: ___Base of a Gothic Revival Church

Number of other properties in Holyoke of this style: ___0____________

Number of other properties in the neighborhood of this style: ___0___________
Occurrence- It is the only occurrence of such construction in:
___unkown___________________________

X Holyoke The State The Region Nationally

Comments: __George P.B. Alderman sketches

For example: The 1883 H. H. Richardson train station or the McKim Mead and White bank building,
Suffolk Street

Standard - It is a particularly fine example in: Holyoke The State The Region
Nationally

Comments:

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 ______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

For example: Holyoke City Hall is a particularly well-proportioned example of Gothic Revival.

9. Preservation
For example, it is one of several such structures defining the colonial period/ Victorian period in a
neighborhoodor one of a group of structures built to provide housing for workers during an industrial period
or the vegetable stand that attests to the narrative of farming on this particular route.

Pre Preservation Status Details

1. Are the details and elements, which mark the essential elements of the property still
intact?

Yes X Somewhat No
Comments:
______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

2. Are the details and elements, which mark the essential style of the property still intact?

Yes X Somewhat No
Comments:
______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

3. Are the details and elements, which mark the essential setting of the property still intact?

Yes X Somewhat No

Comments: ___The setting of this property appears to be deteriorated.

There are no pictures to document the interior and no maintenance records have
been available to date.
_______________________________________________________________

For example: Holyoke Canal System in which the owners have taken particular care not to
impact the basic structures or the 1849 Samosett House (Czelusniak Funeral Home).

Integrity - The integrity of the exterior architectural details have been preserved (i.e., there
have been no exterior renovations since construction or renovations made according to
Secretary of the Interior Standards in materials and procedures).

Yes X Somewhat No
Comments:
______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Construction Location or Site - The original structure has not been moved (i.e., a
particularly early structure that remains where it was originally built).

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 X Yes Somewhat No
Comments:
______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

For example: the site is especially significant as it is connected with the narrative history of
the location or the property as in the 1856 Shaker House, 59-61 Chestnut St.

Alteration - It is an unaltered complex of structure(s), site, or location (this may include the
yard, fencing, outbuildings, and original property lines).

Yes X Somewhat No
Comments:
______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

10. Location
It is part of an historic streetscape?

X Yes Somewhat No
Comments: __this property was part of a once flourishing French
Canadian Immaculate Conception parish complex. It included the main cathedral
style church, a rectory, a school and a convent. The demographics of the area
changed from French Canadian to a large Puerto Rican population. The entire area
the Flats went thru urban renewal by fire and disinvestment. In 2004, the Diocese
demolished the main church but rebuild a smaller chapel in the smaller footprint.
The area has continued to deteriorate and no longer has its earlier integrity.

For example, it is one of several such structures defining the Victorian period in a
neighborhood or one of a group of structures built to provide housing for workers during an
industrial period or the vegetable stand that attests to the narrative of farming on this
particular route. For example, Lyman Terrace Housing, Hadley Mills townhouses, Fairfield
Avenue, or row houses on Newton Street.

11. Contributing Factor

It is a contributing part of a larger historic event?

Yes X Somewhat No
Comments: _The larger historic context of industrial mills and working
housing regains intact. Even thought the neighborhood integrity is compromised,
the area has strong roots. At one time the French Canadian complex was considered
eligible for a National Register Criteria A and C.
It is significant under Criterion A for its associations with the Franco-
American settlement into Holyoke at the end of the 19 th and beginning of the 20th
century and its ministry to the French Canadian population of Ward One in the
Holyoke.
The Church was significant under Criterion C as an outstanding and the
only example of a Late Gothic Revival Roman Catholic Church design in Holyoke and
partially the work of the Rev. Julien Ginet, M.S. and Springfield architect Donat R.
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 Bariboult who completed the final designs.

For example, Volleyball, Paper or Fabric industry, Entertainment industry, Manufacturing, or Water
power

Attached Documentation:

X Photo images Blueprints X Sketch(es) of property copy of article(s)

Other: __________________________________________________________________________________

Signatures of Researcher(s): ____________________________Date: _____________

____________________________Date: _____________

____________________________Date: _____________