[p. 5] and have had curiosity whether or not the donor might not have had in mind even when he made the addition to the front, its being a centenary memorial of his father, who was the founder of the Medford industry of ship-building, had been a leading business man, and the largest tax-payer in the old town.
We have said this building is unique in design.
Geometry demonstrates that the circle contains the largest area that can be enclosed by a given amount of exterior boundary line.
But in actual building practice, when wood is the material used, the cost far exceeds the advantage gained.
However, we have no thought that Mr. Magoun had that in mind.
He was a ship-builder, and accustomed to curved lines, both in theory and practice.
We have often thought he may have been his own architect, as we find those ‘wooden walls’ are as thick as those of a ship—sixteen or seventeen inches. No wooden house of that day, or this, exceeds six or seven.
The foundation walls conform to the circular form within and the rectangular without, the cellar having windows only where the circle joins the outer straight lines.
The six great pillars, of the Ionic order, which form a colonnade outside the enclosing walls, are nearly three feet in diameter at their bases, and support the entablature and cornice that is purely classic in design.
They rest upon a granite foundation with a flagging resembling soap-stone.
These columns are doubtless built around sizable timbers strong enough in themselves to support the roof.
In all their details of bases, fluting and capitals they are architecturally and proportionately correct.
The entablature rests honestly upon the voluted capitals and on the impinging circles of the walls, and is correct in every detail.
The original gables are perfectly plain, with no windows or openings into the attic, and their cornices are carried a little higher than the main roof, which is covered with slates.
These were imported from Wales, as at that time few slate quarries had been opened here.
The windows are long and of
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Medford, MA. 1919.
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