Preservation Projects

Restoring the Grand Army Hall

To capture a feeling for the historic value of the GAR Hall, to fortify the imagination with scenes from Scituate's past, one really should begin by reading G.A. R. Hall Preservation Project Director David Corbin's article Musings.

Scituate's Grand Army Hall has a rich and colorful history. The land on which this historic building stands was owned by master mariner Captain Nehemiah Curtis (1769-1849). In 1825 local members of the Baptist Society purchased from Captain Curtis a lot measuring 11,146 square feet. Society member and housewright Zeba Cushing (1790-1854) constructed a meetinghouse of post and beam described as "a plain building, finished within with pulpit and pews and seats for the singers."

In 1842, as a result of a growing membership the building underwent it's first renovation with the addition of a front vestibule and above it a gallery or balcony. By the late 1850's the simple building was in need of repairs and with the growing need for more space, the Society decided to purchase additional land to build a new and larger church. In 1869 the Baptist Society moved into the new church located at North Scituate. The old meetinghouse was sold by the Society to Scituate resident Joshua Jenkins (1816-1881).

In 1870, Joshua Jenkins removed the pulpit and pews creating an open floor plan and named the building Jenkins Hall. Jenkins provided the Scituate community with a host of entertainments which included dances, recitals and musicals. In addition, Jenkins also rented the hall out to various fraternal organizations that gained popularity in the late 19th century. Among those groups that used the hall was a group of local Civil War veterans. In 1875, these men formed Post 31 Grand Army of the Republic. In 1883, Post 31 G.A.R. purchased the hall from the estate of Joshua Jenkins. That same year with great ceremony the hall was renamed Grand Army Hall.

From 1883 to 1928, Post 31 G.A.R. conducted bi-monthly meetings and observed patriotic holidays, commemorating their days in the service of their country during the Civil War. As with Mr. Jenkins before them, the Post sponsored entertainments and rented out space to other organizations. Other groups that met at the hall included the Women's Relief Corps 121, Charles E. Bates Camp 88 Sons of Union Veterans, and Milton G. Litchfield Tenth Daughters of Union Veterans. Patriotic ardor continued during the First World War with liberty loan drives at the hall.

In 1928 with only a few aged survivors remaining, Post 31 G.A.R turned ownership of the building over to the Sons of Union Veterans. The S.U.V. continued to sponsor benefits and rent the hall out to various groups. In the 1930's, 40's, 50's, and 60's the Scituate Grange 389 Patrons of Husbandry were the primary tenants of the old G.A.R. Hall, as it was most widely called.

'By the early 1950's the building was in need of repair. With the S.U.V. experiencing a declining membership, it was decided to approach the Town of Scituate with regards to taking custodianship of the building. In 1953 the town assumed ownership of the building, making all necessary repairs. Under control of the Board of Selectmen, the hall continued to serve the community as it had in the past. In the years to follow many organizations called the Grand Army Hall home. Visitors to the hall were reminded of its historic past with the interior walls lined with oak framed portraits of Civil War veterans and faded banners. Outside in front of the hall rested a Civil War period cannon which generations of local children never tired of climbing on.

By the 1980's the hall was again in desperate need of repair. A leaky roof, failing plumbing, and deteriorated sills caused the Board of Selectman to question the feasibility of preserving the building. An attempt to raise support for repairs in 1989 failed due to lack of resolve. In 1995 the building was officially closed to the public. Discussion about possible demolition and sale of the lot was soon raised by town officials. When all seemed lost for this historic treasure, members of the Scituate Historical Society soon mobilized to prevent any plans for the destruction of this local landmark. In early 1996 the S.H.S petitioned the town to establish an article for the March town meeting of that year. Voters overwhelmingly supported the S.H.S in assuming ownership of the then 171 year old structure.

Upon transfer of ownership from the Town of Scituate to the S.H.S, preservation efforts began. Volunteers cleaned up the grounds, which included brush and tree pruning and removal. Later the entire roof was repaired and reshingled. Boards that had covered windows for years were removed and window panes replaced. By 1997 volunteers had effectively secured the building from the elements.

In 1998 the S.H.S applied for and was subsequently awarded a matching grant for exterior wall and sill repair from the Massachusetts Historical Commission. In Phase I, in conjunction with the matching funds from the state historical commission, contractor Dana Green of Yankee Wood Products repaired and/or replaced the Hall's sills, a painstaking process that included jacking up the sides of the 1825 structure and intently listening for cracking noises, before attempting to remove the rotten portions of the sills.

From members of the S.H.S a Grand Army Hall Preservation Committee was formed to organize fund raising efforts and to heighten awareness within the Scituate community concerning the rich history and future benefits of preserving this historic structure. This ongoing effort has been accomplished through a publicity campaign with the local news media as well as guided tours of the main hall, all of which have been warmly received by the public. During the period from 1999 to 2001, the Scituate Historical Society has gained momentum in its efforts to restore the Grand Army Hall. Three separate grants - one from the Massachusetts Historical Commission and two from anonymous private donors - have generated $65,000 in funds for different phases of the Hall project. The publication of Images of America: Scituate in 2000, the fastest-selling local history book in the country that year, raised an added $20,000 for the project.

Phase II, consisted of taking up the original flooring and adding new floor joists to complement the old, bringing the structure up to today's building codes, adding strength to the integrity of the floor. As the restoration project continues, the restored flooring remains under a working floor to protect it from damage.

In Phase III, perhaps the most exciting aspect of the project so far, the contractor unexpectedly revealed long-hidden features from the past: the frames of original doors and windows, and even a staircase. That staircase has been replaced and now leads to the balcony high above the Hall's main floor. The contractor, with the help of architectural historian Gary Tondorf-Dick went to great lengths to restore the balcony's original curve. When the Hall is opened, the balcony will seat approximately forty people for events and functions.

On October 19, 2002, nearly forty volunteers turned out to a one-day, old-fashioned New England barn-raising type event, giving the Grand Army Hall its first new coat of stain in decades. Volunteers not only donate their time, but stain, paint thinner, buckets, brushes, ladders, and even a lift for use in painting the flagpole and the apex of the main façade. The Scituate Historical Society paid for lunch for one and all, thanking them for their hard work. Although the entirety of the second coat on the building could not be completed in one day of painting, everyone who volunteered on October 19 is waiting for the weather to break this coming spring to finish the job.

Currently, the Society is working on plans for the kitchen and bathroom areas in anticipation of opening the Hall within the next two years.