Fall River Historical Society Study

Fall River, MA

Located at 451 Rock Street, at the corner of Rock and Maple Streets in the Historic Highlands District of Fall River, is the building historically known as the Andrew Robeson House. The house was originally built on Columbia Street in 1843 for Andrew Robeson Jr., a textile mill owner and heir to a New Bedford whaling fortune. The home was designed by Samuel Barrett Cushing and James Scott in the Greek Revival style. During the Civil War, the house served as a station for the Underground Railroad. In 1870, the house was dismantled and moved almost a mile north to its current location by Mr. Robert Knight Remington, a prominent industrialist in the area. At this time, the house underwent a major renovation, turning it into the French Second Empire style mansion that is seen today. In 1935, house was donated to the Fall River Historical Society by David Anthony Brayton when his aunt, Elizabeth Hitchcock Brayton, passed away. Since then, the house has been the home and headquarters of the Fall River Historical Society. Today, the house functions as a house and local history museum open to the public at no charge.

Civitects PC was asked to create an existing conditions study and preservation plan for the Fall River Historical Society. Our existing conditions evaluation began with a survey of the property, observing elements of the building such as the condition of the granite masonry, mortar joints, slate roof, window surrounds, and other architectural features. Civitects also researched the historic appearance of the building using resources such as maps, historic photographs, and post cards. Based on our observations, recommendations were made intended to preserve the quality and aesthetics of the historic fabric following the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and the National Parks Service’s Preservation Briefs.

Bank Street Armory Roof Replacement

Fall River, MA

Considered a city landmark, Fall River’s Bank Street Armory is a monumental Romanesque Revival structure is comprised of large coursed granite masonry. The armory’s appearance is that of a medieval fortress with a crenelated parapet and arched windows. The layout of the building consists of a 4-1/2 story head house facing Bank Street and a 1-1/2 story drill hall behind. Construction began in 1895 and completed in 1897 and there have been minimal alterations to the property since its original construction.

Roof replacement work consisted of the replacement of the existing roof membrane system with a new EPDM roof system. The project included the stabilization of the existing wood roof framing that had experienced water damage and the installation of new overflow roof drainage. There were multiple areas at the crenelated parapet where the original copper flashing was either missing or severely damaged. For sections of the parapet exposed to the public view, Civitects called for original copper sheets that were removed in place of the new roof membrane system to be salvaged and modified to fit the crenelated parapet. This action ensured that the original patinated copper flashing could be preserved and re-used at locations visible to the public.

The roof replacement project was funded by the Fall River Community Preservation Act (CPA). Prior to the execution of the roof work, a Conditions Assessment was prepared through funding from a Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund (MPPF) grant. All work was executed in compliance with The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.