[MassHistPres] seam faced granite

[rcsmitharch at verizon.net]

I’ve done some restoration work on the Nahant Public Library, a “Jacobethan” building from 1895.  The commemorative booklet written at the time of its dedication identifies the stone as “seam faced Weymouth granite” with sandstone quoins, window surrounds and belt courses.

 

The Back Bay Fens Gate Houses (HH Richardson, 1885 and Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, 1905) have a similar stone that was identified as Rockport granite.

 

Richard Smith

Swampscott Historical Commission

 

From: MassHistPres <masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu> On Behalf Of Dennis De Witt via MassHistPres
Sent: Monday, June 5, 2023 8:24 PM
To: MHC MHC listserve <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Subject: [MassHistPres] seam faced granite

 

All

 

I have been digging a little into the use of seam faced granite — example below.   

 

I wonder if Cram may have first popularized it as a contrasty somewhat rustic material, beginning with All Sts Ashmont in 1891 — altho do I find Henry Vaughan using it at St. Mary’s Upham’s Corner in ’88 but with non-contrasting brownstone trim.  

Am I missing earlier examples?

It seems to have been a specifically Boston area quarried material and it strikes me as a Boston Arts & Crafts-ish example of using “reject” material, somewhat like the adoption of over-fired klinker a.k.a “bench” brick, but a tad earlier.

 

Dennis De Witt

Metropolitan Waterworks Museum

 



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