Built 1912 NRHP Reference # 89000712 Added to NRHP 6 July 1989 | MPS Wakefield MRA Opened 1912 | |
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Location 26 Albion St., Wakefield, Massachusetts Similar HM Warren School, Elizabeth Boit House, Nathaniel Cowdry House, Emerson‑Franklin Poole House, House at 21 Chestnut | ||
The Item Building is a historic commercial building at 26 Albion Street in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Built in 1912, the single story brick building serves as the headquarters of The Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield's main community newspaper, and is a well-kept example of early 20th century commercial architecture. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Description and history
The Item Building is located at the southwest corner of Albion and Foster Streets, one block west of Wakefield's central business district. It is a single-story brick building, with a granite foundation, brick and cast stone trim elements, and a flat roof. The Foster Street facade is four bays long, with an entrance in the leftmost bay, while the Albion Street facade is eight bays in length. The first five are original, while the latter three are a mid-20th century addition. An angle at the corner originally provided the main entrance, but has now been bricked over and replaced by a window. A Craftsman-style shed-roof hood remains over the window. The main entrance is now in the fifth bay under a metal marquee. The fenestrated bays of the building were originally pairs of plate glass with granite sills, demarcated by brick piers. These bays have now been largely filled with brick and pairs of sash windows.
The Wakefield Daily Item began publishing in 1895, and was the first local newspaper in New England that had its own printing facilities. In 1912 Harris M. Dolbeare, the publisher, had this building constructed to house its newsroom and printing operations. The building was enlarged by three bays along Albion Street in the mid-20th century.