G.A.R. Hall and Museum
Why it's listed
Built in 1885-1886 at 58 Andrew Street in Lynn, this four-story brick hall was the home of General Landers Post #5 of the Grand Army of the Republic, a Civil War veterans' organization. The post grew from 227 members in 1871 to more than 1,000 in 1885 and became the largest G.A.R. post in the country. The building has a pressed-brick facade with rock-faced sandstone trim and is an important local example of Romanesque Revival design. It is also one of few local buildings of that style that predate the 1889 fire, which destroyed most of the city's commercial area. The third-floor meeting hall, measuring 56 by 46 feet, keeps its original stencilling, brass lighting fixture and furniture, along with a wall grid of member photographs. The building also holds Civil War memorabilia and a library with bookcases built by member Frank G. Kelley. As the veterans' ranks dwindled, trustees took over and now run it as a museum owned by the city.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it reflects the nineteenth-century fraternal organization and housed what became the largest G.A.R. post in the United States. It is an important local example of Romanesque Revival architecture and one of few such buildings predating the 1889 fire. Its largely intact third-floor meeting hall, with original stencilling, fixtures, furniture and a member portrait gallery, adds to its value.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79000331, listed May 7, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 58 Andrew St., Lynn |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | May 7, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000331 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1885 |
| Architect / builder | Frank Kelly (?); form text names Frank G. Kelley, a local contractor and G.A.R. member, who obtained the plans; no architect is named |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of Lynn and operated by a Board of Trustees as a museum; condition listed as good and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.46293, -70.94747 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79000331.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5511983
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.