Name: St Monica's School

 Address: 200 Lawrence Street

 Date: 1957

 History: In the mid-nineteenth century, a Bishop Fitzpatrick purchased land for a church on Broadway at the corner of Park Street. In 1876, Catholics began holding Mass in the town hall, but they did not have their own place of worship in Methuen until construction of Saint Monica's church, begun in 1896 (231 Broadway).

Saint Monica's school was built nearby in 1957. Before completion of the convent in 1960, the teaching resided on the top floor of the school building. Establishment of the school and convent bears witness to the strength of the Catholic community in Methuen.

The school was built on the site of Washington Park, laid out at the turn-of-the- century by Edward F. Searles whose estate Pine Lodge lay across the street (209 Lawrence St). A statue of George Washington by the noted sculptor Thomas Ball, the centerpiece of the park, was unveiled on Washington's birthday in 1900. Miscommunication between Searles' heir, Mr. B. Allen Rowland and the town selectmen caused the property to be sold to Saint Monica's. The monument was sold to Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles in 1958.

  Name: Lawrence St. Cemetery

 Address: Lawrence Street

 Date: 1832-E 20th

 History: In 1828, land on East Street was bought by selectman Joseph W. Carleton for a village burying ground, which now lies at the intersection of Lawrence and East Streets. Colonel Osgood's wife was the first to be buried there on March 15, 1831. Location of a burying ground on this site was part of a significant shift in the town center from the Meeting House Hill area toward the industrial and commercial sites near the Spicket River Falls and along the Medford-Andover Turnpike (Broadway). This shift was confirmed by the relocation of the First Congregational Church to near-by Pleasant Street in 1832 (30 Pleasant St).

When the new Walnut Grove cemetery was laid out in 1853 the village burying ground, or the Lawrence Street cemetery as it is now called, fell into disuse. However, when Mrs. Edward F. Searles died she was buried in the old burying ground across the street from the Searles estate. Her mausoleum was designed by Searles architect Henry Vaughan. Searles cleaned up and restored the site and erected walls and a gate house in 1896/7.

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: 1880s-1920

 History: Edward F. Searles was born in Methuen in 1841 and died in 1920. He was the son of Jesse G. and Sarah Littlefield Searles, whose homestead sat on an 8 and 1/2 acre site on East Street bought by Jesse in 1840. Although Edward's first job was in the Methuen Company mill, he went on to become an interior and architectural designer in New York. Through influential clients, he met and eventually married Mary Hopkins, widow of railroad magnate Mark Hopkins, and upon her death in 1891, inherited a multi-million dollar fortune. Searles began to acquire additional land and to develop his estate on East Street in the 1880s, renovating the Searles homestead, which was known as "Appleside" and the adjacent Howell house, which he purchased in 1880. These two houses were eventually joined together with a series of porches and colonnades to become an elaborate mansion house which was called Pine Lodge. (The "mansion" stood about where the St. Claire Residence (#24) is now and was demolished in 1930.)

After his wife's death, Searles indulged his penchant for architecture, building extensively and eventually connecting the old mansion house to a new Jacobethan residence (#19; built in 1911) with a series of connected hallways (#22) and wings in Classical, Renaissance, and Jacobethan styles. He also built or renovated a carriage house (#9), a new barn (#4), and various other outbuildings. Under construction for many years, were the granite chime tower (#29) and magnificent brownstone Gothic Revival style Searles Chapel (#33), designed by Henry Vaughan. The estate also encompassed several old farm houses (#5, 6, 7),

which once stood on East Street. In 1912, he gave land to the town and paid to re-route East Street so that these properties, which were part of Oakside Farm, lay with in the bound of his estate. The entire estate was surrounded be an elaborate series of granite walls, embellished with crenellations and towers, which remain a landmark today.

Searles also owned the adjacent Waldo House (233 Lawrence St), which he developed as a Historical Museum. Across the street, he laid out Washington Park which had a famous Thomas Ball sculpture of George Washington as its centerpiece. He was interested in organ manufacture and supported the Methuen Organ Company and built the Serlo Organ Hall (192 Broadway). His philanthropic endeavors included construction of St. Andrews Episcopal Church (82 Broadway), the Searles High School (41 Pleasant) St, the Central School (10 Ditson Pl), the B. & M. Railroad Station (55 Union St), and renovation of the Exchange Hotel, first as a YMCA and later as a Masonic Temple (275 Broadway). He also made many public works contributions to the town, such as the bridge and towers near the Organ Hall (see form). He undertook the care and restoration of the Village Burying Ground on Lawrence Street (see form), where his wife was buried, and the Meeting House Hill Cemetery, where he built a memorial to his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Artemus W. Stearns. Searles owned extensive properties in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and Salem and Windham, New Hampshire as well and also gave generously to those communities.

In 1957 the 74 room " Searles castle" was sold to the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary for $160,000. The Presentation of Mary Academy and convent now occupies this site and the Searles Chapel is known as Our Lady of Sacred Heart. The St. Claire Residence, named for Mother Claire D'Assise, was built in 1958, the new Academy wing in 1962, and the new Provincial House in 1985.

The Pine Lodge estate possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. It is significant as a well-conserved collection of high-styled, elaborately constructed buildings built by a single owner of considerable wealth and architectural taste, and an important figure in Methuen's development. Pine Lodge meets the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places.

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date:

 History: These are among the many outbuildings that Searles added to his estate at the turn-of-the-century.

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: 1842

 History: In 1842 George W. Butters owned a house and 20 acres of land in Methuen. His farm, located on the north side of of the original course of East Street, can be found on the 1846 map of the town. By 1861 he owned a house, barn and shoe shop and in the 1860 Directory, sons Albert and Henry, both listed as shoemakers, boarded with George W. Butters.

Although he owned a barn in 1861, a barn is not shown on the atlas maps until 1884. This is one of the several houses and barns acquired and elaborated on by Searles as part of his estate at the turn-of-the-century.

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: c.1870

 History: In 1842 George W. Butters owned a house and 20 acres of land in Methuen. His farm, located on the north side of the original course of East Street, can be found on the 1846 map of the town. By 1861 he owned a house, barn and shoe shop and in the 1860 Directory, sons (George) Albert and (William) Henry, both listed as shoemakers, boarded with George W. Butters.

William Barnes in his reminiscences of the town c 1845 states that Butters house burned, but he does not give a specific date. The rebuilt house, c.1870, will be referred to as the Butters Homestead. In 1868, the original house was valued at $300 and in 1872, $1400. The fire, and/or general reconstruction must have taken place at this time. Although located with in the bound of the Searles estate, this house was not actually owned by Searles until after the turn-of-the-century.

In 1867 the Butters family built a second house, originally taxed to the sons, but according to the 1872 atlas, lived in by the father George W. Butters. After the death of George in 1882, the house was owned by his son-in-law John C. Webster who lived else where. This house was bought by Edward F. Searles in 1895 and became part of what was known as Oakside Farm. This is one of the several houses and barns acquired and elaborated on by Searles as part of his estate at the turn-of-the-century.

Name: Searles Estate: Butters House/Kindergarten

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: c.1870

 History: In 1867 the Butters family (see Butters Homestead) built a second house, originally taxed to the sons, but according to the 1872 atlas map, lived in by the father George W. Butters. After the death of George in 1882, the house was owned by his son-in-law John C. Webster who lived else where. This house was bought by Edward F. Searles in 1895 and became part of what was known as Oakside Farm. This is one of the several houses and barns acquired and elaborated on by Searles as part of his estate at the turn-of-the-century.

Name: Searles Estate: Rivier Nursery/ not Cutler House- demolished 1889

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date:

 History: Searles bought and sold many, many houses. This house was moved to the site and its original location is unknown.

The atlases of 1872, 1884, 1896, show several house in the triangle at the intersection of East and Lawrence Streets. All were acquired by Searles. The Cutler house was demolished in 1889. The Rev. L. L. Eastman house, seen on the 1896 map, was still shown on the assessor's records for Searles in 1911, but only appears on the atlas in 1884. Thus, it is not old enough to be this house.

Name: Searles Estate: Gardeners Cottage/Chaplain's House

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: c. 1899

 History: Sketch maps drawn by Stephen Barbin in his biography of Searles indicate that the Chaplain's house was once the gardener's cottage, built between 1895 and 1915. According to the assessor's records, a cottage was built 1899.

Name: Searles Estate: Brick Tower

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: c. 1900

 History:This building is not mentioned by either Morgan or Barbin. It is one of several structures constructed to beautify the Searles Estate at the-turn-of-the-century.

Name: Searles Estate: New Searles House/Old Provincial House (and office)

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: c. 1880

 History: Searles constructed this elaborate estate house to replace the Searles/Howells Houses which he had combined as a single residence in 1880. According to the assessor's records for 1911, Searles was taxed for a "cement house and office" valued at $5,000. Barbin's sketch map of the estate between 1895 and 1915 shows this mansion house and the "office" (#20) although it is not identified as such. Henry Vaughan's biographer does not list Vaughan as the architect for this building, although it seems likely that he was, as he was designing other buildings in a similar style for Searles at the same time.

  Name: Searles Estate: Provincial Hallways

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: 1912

 History: According to Barbin, the Hallways include a Tapestry Hall and Jacobethan Hall, built in 1912. These sections of the Hallways bracket the Renaissance tower, built in the mid-1880s, which once stood alone as the encasement for a wind mill. In 1890/91 the wind mill mechanism was removed and a set of harmonic bells installed. These bells were probably manufactured by the Tubular Bell Company, run under the aegis of Searles, in the Organ Company factory on Broadway. In 1894, this tower was valued at $1500. It was supplanted as a chime tower in 1895 by a new granite tower with a larger set of chimes. The Hallways were constructed to connect the old (demolished 1930) and new (#19) estate houses.

  Name: Searles Estate: Chapel

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: 1915

 History: This building was constructed in 1915, adjacent to the original estate house, but no other information is available in the standard sources.

  Name: Searles Estate: #25/26 Gate House etc. Searles Estate: Administration

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: 1900

 History: In 1900, the assessor's records show an entry for "gate house and other stone buildings" valued at $5,000. The "other stone buildings" may be what what are presently called the administration and music buildings, and other towers in the wall. The bridge connected Searles' properties on either side of East Street which was still a town way, before he paid to reroute the street in 1912.

 Name: Searles Estate: #29 Granite Chime Tower with "Angle of the Resurrection"

 Address:209 Lawrence Street

 Date: 1896

 History: William Morgan, biographer of Henry Vaughan states that the Granite Chime Tower was a Vaughan commission of 1896. The tower is first mentioned in the tax records in 1900 where it was valued at $10,000. The chimes were probably manufactured by the Tubular Bell Company, run under the aegis of Searles, in the Organ Company factory on Broadway.

The sculptor of the bronze "Angle of the Resurrection" remains unidentified.

According to In. Am. Art this work is called Attending Angel by Willaim Couper constructed in 1900.

  Name: The Chapel

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: 1918

 History:According to Henry Vaughan's biographer the Searles Chapel, designed by Vaughan, was completed in 1918 at a cost of $600,000. Searles, who died in 1920, was entombed in the crypt, "Egypt," beneath the chapel. The chapel, which now belongs to the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary, is known as Our Lady of Sacred Heart.

  Name: Walls

 Address: 209 Lawrence Street

 Date: 1880-1920

 History: One of the most prominent and visible elements of the Edward F. Searles estate are the elaborate walls that surround it. The first documented mention of these walls was on August 7, 1880 when it was reported in the Methuen Transcript that Mrs. Searles (mother of Edward) had built at wall in front of her house on East Street. This probably accounts for the visible difference in stone work with the lower portion constructed of varied uncoursed stone with simple coping, and the upper constructed of a uniform random-coursed gray granite headed by crenelations. The only other specific mention occured on September 20, 1889, when the Methuen Transcript reported that Searles had taken delivery of 12 large granite blocks, each weighing 20 tons which may have been used to enlarge and elaborate the walls.

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