State of Vermont

STATE OF VERMONT SURVEY NUMBER: Division for Historic Preservation (Assigned by VDHP) ☐ 1 National Life Drive, Floor 6 Listed in State Register Date: Montpelier, VT 05602 HISTORIC SITES & STRUCTURES SURVEY Individual Property Survey Form PRESENT FORMAL NAME:Tenney Field Grandstand ORIGINAL FORMAL NAME: Stolte Field Grandstand COUNTY: Windham PRESENT USE: Baseball Grandstand TOWN: Brattleboro ORIGINAL USE: Baseball Grandstand ADDRESS: Fairground Road, Brattleboro, VT, 05301 ARCHITECT/ENGINEER: COMMON NAME: Stolte/Tenney Field Grandstand BUILDER/CONTRACTOR: PROPERTY TYPE: Recreational/Public DATE BUILT: 1947 OWNER: Brattleboro Union School District #6 ADDRESS: 53 Green Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301 ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC: PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE: Yes ☐ No ☐ Restricted ☒ Good ☐ Fair ☒ Poor ☐ LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE: STYLE: n/a Local ☒ State ☒ National ☐ GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Structural System: 1. Foundation: Stone☐ Brick☐ Concrete☒ Concrete Block☒ 2. Wall Structure a. Wood Frame: Post & Beam☐ Plank☐ Balloon☐ Platform☐ b. Load Bearing Masonry: Brick☐ Stone☐ Concrete☒ Concrete Block☒ c. Metal: Iron☐ Steel☐ d. Other: 3. Wall Cladding: Clapboard☐ Board & Batten☐ Wood Shingle☐ Shiplap☐ Novelty☐ Asbestos Shingle☐ Aluminum Siding☐ Asphalt Shingle☐ Vinyl Siding☐ Brick Veneer☐ Stone Veneer☐ Other: 4. Roof Structure Truss: Wood☐ Iron☒ Steel☒ Concrete☐ Other: 5. Roof Covering: Slate☐ Wood Shingle☐ Asphalt Shingle☐ Sheet Metal☐ Built Up☐ Rolled☐ Tile☐ Standing Seam☐ Other: Rubber membrane 6. Engineering Structure: 7. Other: Appendages: Porches☐ Towers☐ Cupolas☐ Dormers☐ Chimneys☐ Sheds☐ Ells☐ Wings☐ Bay Window☐ Other: Roof Styles: Gable☐ Hip☐ Shed☐ Flat☒ Mansard☐ Gambrel☐ Jerkinhead☐ Saw Tooth☐ With Monitor☐ With Bellcast☐ With Parapet☐ With False Front☐ Other: Number of Stories: n/a Entrance Location: n/a Number of Bays: 7 x 1 Approximate Dimensions: 30’ wide x 136’ long Criteria for Eligibility: A: Historic☒ B: Person☐ C: Architectural☒ D: Archeological☐ Integrity: Location☒ Design☒ Setting☒ Materials☒ Workmanship☒ Feeling☒ Assoc.☒ Areas of Significance: Recreation, Engineering, Architecture ADDITIONAL ARCHITECTURAL OR STRUCTURAL DESCRIPTION: The grandstand wraps around home plate from third base to first base. The base of the grandstand is constructed of reinforced concrete posts and beams that support a tiered seating area, which is also made of reinforced concrete. On the ground level, spaces between the concrete posts are infilled with concrete block to create an enclosed space underneath the seating area. Along the front of the seating area, four regularly spaced, vertical steel I-beams support three horizontal steel I-beams that form the leading edge of the roof. At the back of the seating area, eight regularly spaced, vertical steel I-beams support seven horizontal steel I-beams that form the back edge of the roof. The connection between vertical and horizontal members is strengthened with steel knee braces on each vertical I-beam: two on each of the front supports and three on each of the rear supports. The front and rear steel assemblies are connected to each other with transverse and diagonal I-beams, and the corrugated metal roof deck is supported by open-web steel trusses and I-beams. The top of the roof is covered with a rubber membrane, and all steel members are mechanically fastened with bolts or rivets. There are twelve tiers of wooden plank benches in the seating area. The plank benches are supported by steel angle beams that are bolted into the concrete deck of the seating area. The edges of the seating area are defined by simple tubular steel pipe railings. Located underneath the seating area is an equipment storage area and restrooms. The dugouts originally opened into the underside of the grandstand, where a few wooden lockers for players remain intact. The original dugout openings on the front of the grandstand have been infilled with concrete block. A press box, visible in early photos of the grandstand, was once located at the leading edge of the grandstand roof. It is no longer extant, although the tubular steel framework for netting to catch foul balls remains intact on the roof. RELATED STRUCTURES: (Describe) Stolte/Tenney Baseball Field STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Occupying the original site of the Valley Fairgrounds, the Stolte Memorial Field athletic complex was constructed in 1938/1939 using labor provided by the Works Progress Administration. The complex consisted of a football field, running track, changing facilities, a baseball field, and a wooden grandstand. The wooden grandstand burned down in 1946 and was promptly replaced in 1947 with a new grandstand built of steel and concrete. In 1996 the complex was re-dedicated to Carl A. Tenney, who coached the varsity baseball team from 1971-1996. For over 70 years the community has watched baseball games ranging from High School, Babe Ruth, American Legion, and Semi-Pro from the grandstand. At least 12 future Major League Baseball athletes played here, including two future Hall of Famers: Robin Roberts and Carlton Fisk. The grandstand is one of three large-scale structures of its kind left in the state, the others being located at Centennial Field in Burlington (1922) and Recreation Field in Montpelier (1940). It retains all aspects of integrity and is significant under Criterion A for its role in the recreational history of Brattleboro and under Criterion C for its architectural and engineering significance. REFERENCES: Annual Brattleboro Auditor’s Reports (83rd, 84th, 91st, 92nd), Randolph T. Holhut (The Commons), Tom Haley (The Rutland Herald), Green Mountain Boys of Summer edited by Tom Simon MAP: (Indicate North in Circle) SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT: See attached☒ Open Woodland ☐ Woodland ☐ Scattered Buildings ☒ Moderately Built Up ☐ Densely Built Up ☐ Residential ☒ Commercial ☐ Agricultural ☐ Industrial ☐ Roadside Strip Development ☐ Other: RECORDED BY: Adam Waite ORGANIZATION: Team Tenney, Inc. DATE RECORDED: 6/2018 MAP Grandstand PHOTOGRAPHS Photograph 1. View looking north at the front (south) elevation of the grandstand. Photograph 2. View looking northeast at the front (south) elevation of the grandstand. Photograph 3. View looking east as west end of grandstand. Note how the concrete seating area is cantilevered beyond the enclosed structure underneath. Photograph 4. View on the grandstand, looking west. Note the tiered concrete floor and wooden benches. Photograph 5. Detail of roof structure, consisting of steel I-beams and open-web steel joists. All connections are mechanically fastened with bolts or rivets. Photograph 6. Wooden lockers underneath the seating area. Major League Baseball Players who played at Stolte/Tenney Field • Dave “Boo” Ferriss (Red Sox) • Ted “Sopko” Sepkowski (Indians, Yankees) • Sam Mele (Red Sox, Senators, White Sox, Orioles, Redlegs, Indians, Twins) • George “Snuffy” Stirnweiss (Yankees, Browns, Indians) • Vic Raschi (Yankees, Cardinals, Athletics) • Lennie Merullo (Cubs) • Walt Lanfranconi (Cubs, Braves) • Ron Noethery (Phillies, Cardinals, Reds, Cubs, White Sox) • Jim Konstanty (Reds, Braves, Phillies, Yankees, Cardinals) • Robin Roberts (Phillies, Orioles, Astros, Cubs) • Ralph LaPointe (Phillies, Cardinals) • Johnny Podres (Dodgers, Tigers, Padres) • Kirk McCaskill (Angels, White Sox) • Mike Rochford (Red Sox) • Mark Brown (Orioles, Twins) • Ernie Johnson (Braves, Orioles) • Carlton Fisk (Red Sox, White Sox) .

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