Archives and Special Collections
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Boston, MA 02115
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Archives and Special Collections Finding Aids

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Collection Overview
Title:Armed Services Young Men's Christian Association (Boston, Mass.) records
Date:1917–2003 (bulk 1975–2003)
Location Code: 33/2-3
Reference Code:M148
Extent:7 cubic ft.
Scope and Content Abstract:The Boston Armed Services Young Men's Christian Association records document the organization's response to the taking of the Boston Armed Services YMCA facility by eminent domain, the relocation of the organization from City Square to the Charlestown Navy Yard, and the planning and construction of the structure that would be The Constitution Inn. Also documented are the daily operations of the organization, finances, legal issues, and the development of the organization's programs, goals, and policies throughout its changing relationship with the national YMCA and Armed Services YMCA. The collection includes the correspondence, minutes, and memoranda of the Board of Trustees, building plans, design proposals and progress reports regarding the construction of the Navy Yard building, and publications, employee manuals and memoranda from the daily operations of the Boston Armed Services YMCA and Constitution Inn. Also included are audiovisual materials that document the two Boston Armed Services YMCA facilities, visiting military personnel, local sites and special events such as anniversaries, holiday parties, award ceremonies and annual dinners.
Historical Abstract:The Armed Services Young Men's Christian Association is a non–profit organization providing support services such as childcare, hospital assistance, food services, temporary housing for homeless families, training classes, and health and fitness services to members of the military, their families, and local civilian communities. The Boston Armed Services YMCA was founded in 1917, by eight local men with an interest in military support work. With funds raised by the community, a Boston Armed Services YMCA facility was constructed at 32 City Square in the Charlestown area of Boston. This was the first YMCA facility dedicated solely to Armed Services support work. In 1984, the Massachusetts Highway Department seized the City Square site by eminent domain for the Central Artery / North Area highway construction project. Over the next six years, the Board of Trustees and senior staff searched for a relocation site and planned a replacement structure. In 1991, a new Armed Service YMCA facility was erected at 150 Second Avenue in the Charlestown Navy Yard. In 2002, the Boston Armed Services YMCA's status as a branch of the national Armed Services YMCA was terminated after being reclassified several times. The facility was renamed The Constitution Inn YMCA / Charlestown. The building houses a branch of the Greater Boston YMCA, which is governed separately. The Constitution Inn YMCA / Charlestown continues to serve the military and civilian communities.
Language and Scripts:Materials entirely in English.
System of Arrangement:Organized into three series: Series 1. Governance; Series 2. Administration; Series 3. Audiovisual
Subjects and Contributors:
  • Armed Services Young Men's Christian Association (Boston, Mass.)
  • Young Men's Christian Association
  • Armed Services Young Men's Christian Association (Boston, Mass.)
  • Young Men's Christian Association

  • Armed Services—Social services.
  • Building—Planning.
  • Charlestown (Boston, Mass.)
  • Charlestown Navy Yard (Boston, Mass.)
  • Community centers
  • Eminent domain.
  • Urban renewal
Conditions Governing Access:Welfare Case Worker Reports file in Series 2. are restricted for 75 years from their date of creation.
Immediate Source of Acquisition:Received from the YMCA of Greater Boston.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use:Some copyright restrictions may apply.
Finding Aids:Additional materials can be found in the Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Boston records (M13).
Processor:Finding aid prepared by Cynthia Rufo, June 10, 2008

Historical Note

The Armed Services Young Men's Christian Association is a non–profit organization providing support services to members of the military, their families, and local civilian communities. Active since the Civil War, the association has functioned in its present form since 1984 when it separated from the National Council of YMCAs, and reorganized under the United States Department of Defense. The Armed Services YMCA of the USA is a national umbrella organization which oversees local Armed Services YMCA branches. The association provides programs such as childcare, hospital assistance, food services, temporary housing for homeless families, training classes, and health and fitness services.

The Boston Armed Services YMCA was founded in 1917, when eight local men formed the Massachusetts Trustees of the International Committee of YMCAs for Army and Navy Work. The Trustees signed a contract with the National Council of YMCAs, authorizing the Boston facility to operate as an official YMCA branch. With funds raised by the community, the Boston Armed Services YMCA facility was constructed at 32 City Square in the Charlestown area of Boston. This was the first YMCA facility dedicated solely to Armed Service support work. The Boston Armed Services YMCA was also the only Armed Services YMCA branch to hold the title to its own facility.

In 1984, the Massachusetts Highway Department seized the City Square site by eminent domain for the Central Artery / North Area highway construction project. Over the next six years, the Board of Trustees and senior staff searched for a relocation site and began planning a new structure. A site was found in the nearby Charlestown Navy Yard, Parcel 150 on Second Avenue, owned by the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA). The organization entered into a joint venture development agreement with the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) housing development organization, and acquired the property from the BRA in 1990. Construction began promptly, and the new building opened in 1992.

At the same time the City Square site was being seized, the National Council of YMCAs began questioning the validity of the Boston Armed Services YMCA's branch status. In 1985, the original 1917 contract with the National Council was considered void, as it had been amended, revised, and ignored for much of the Boston Armed Services YMCA's existence. It was agreed that the Boston Armed Services YMCA would continue to operate under the YMCA name in spite of this, as the services provided by the organization were so valuable to the military and civilian communities. In 1988, the Boston Armed Services YMCA was classified as an affiliate of the national Armed Services YMCA, but returned to a provisional branch status again in 1998.

In 2002, the Boston Armed Services YMCA's branch status was terminated completely, and the trustees ceased all YMCA operations by 2003. The Trustees were renamed the Massachusetts Trustees for Armed Service Work, Inc. The facility was renamed The Constitution Inn YMCA / Charlestown. The Constitution Inn, a value–priced hotel which houses a local branch of the YMCA of Greater Boston, is governed by a local board, the Massachusetts Trustees for Armed Service Work, Inc., and continues to serve the military and civilian communities.

Chronology
1917 The Massachusetts Trustees of the International Committee of YMCAs for Army and Navy Work is founded. A contract with the National Council of YMCAs is signed, granting the Boston organization branch status. Money is raised for construction of Armed Services YMCA facility.
1918 Building at 32 City Square, Charlestown, MA, opens.
1984 Massachusetts Highway Department seizes the City Square site by eminent domain. The site is to be used for the Central Artery / North Area projects. The Armed Services YMCA of the USA separates from the National Council of YMCAs. It is reorganized under the Department of Defense as an independent organization.
1985 Validity of 1917 contract is questioned. Boston Armed Services YMCA granted provisional branch status.
1986–1990 Trustees and senior staff search for a functional replacement site. Planning for a new structure begins. The City Square structure is razed.
1988 City Square property vacated. Boston Armed Services YMCA becomes an official affiliate of the Armed Services YMCA of the USA.
1991 Joint venture agreement signed between The Massachusetts Trustees of the International Committee of the YMCA for Army and Navy Work and National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) Housing Inc. to form the Parcel 150 Development Associates Limited Partnership. The Parcel 150 Associates sign a ground lease with the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA). Ground is broken for new structure by Peabody Construction Co., Inc. and J.W. French Architects.
1992 New building opens.
2002 National YMCA terminates branch status. The building is renamed The Constitution Inn and reclassified as a YMCA affiliate, as it houses a branch of the Greater Boston YMCA.
2003 Massachusetts Trustees cease YMCA operations. The Massachusetts Trustees of the International Committee of Young Men's Christian Associations for Army and Navy Work changes its name to the Massachusetts Trustees for Armed Services Work, Inc., dropping the YMCA reference. National YMCA demands conveyance of the Charlestown Navy Yard building.
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Series:
1. Governance, 1920–2006 (bulk 1980–2006)
Volume:3 cubic ft.
Arrangement:

Alphabetical
Summary:

This series documents the governance organizations and committees of the Boston Armed Services YMCA, primarily the Massachusetts Trustees of the International Committee of YMCA for Army and Navy Work, Inc.

The series includes the records of the Boston Armed Services YMCA Committee of Management, subcommittee of the trustees, which oversees the operations and programming of the Boston Armed Services YMCA. In 2001, the committee was renamed the Advisory Committee.

Also included are financial records and governance records from the Armed Services YMCA of the USA. Financial files document trustee activities and the daily operations of the Boston Armed Services YMCA facility.

The Meeting Packets, Paper Trail, and Record Book in this series include minutes, correspondence, usage statistics, rosters, financial materials, by–laws, publications, histories, handbooks, and other materials compiled for use during trustee or committee meetings. They may also include materials from other levels of governance (e.g. some Committee of Management meeting packets are comprised of minutes from National YMCA and Massachusetts Trustees of International Committee meetings.)

The History and Mission file contains histories of the Boston Armed Services YMCA, and Armed Services YMCA of the USA, and the YMCA of the USA.

Please note that the minutes and reports of the Site Search Committee, a trustee sub–committee responsible for locating and evaluating prospective sites for a new Armed Services YMCA facility, are found in Series 2.
BoxTitleDate
Armed Services YMCA Boston Committee of Management / Massachusetts Trustees for Armed Services Work Advisory Committee
1General1950–1984
1Annual Reports1975–1983
1Future Development Committee Minutes1972–1979
1Handbook1973
1Meeting Packets and Minutes1957–2006
1Roster1958–2001
1,2Armed Services YMCA of Boston Paper Trail: Compiled Record Books (12 folders)1996–2002
Armed Services YMCA of the USA
2Annual Report1984
2Bylaws1979–2000
2Operations Manual1980
2Minutes and Memoranda1983–1988
2Correspondence1941
Financial
2Balance Sheets1991–2000
2Budget Allocations Committee1987–1999
2Expenses1991–1998
2Financial Packets and Statements (4 folders)1989–2006
2Income Statements1993–1998
2History and Missionn.d., 1944–1988
Massachusetts Trustees of the International Committee of YMCA for Army and Navy Work, Inc. / The Massachusetts Trustees for Armed Service Work, Inc.
2Annual Reports1982–1996
2Bylaws1920–2003
Changes in Status as YMCA Branch
2Agreementsca.1984–2002
3Correspondence1983–2003
3Meeting Packetca.1998
3Minutes and Progress Reports1985–1999
3Proposals1995–2002
3Correspondence1998–2000
3Executive Director's Reports1996–1998
3, 4Meeting Packets and Minutes: Annual Meetings1960–2006
4Meeting Packet: Parcel 1501992–2002
4Member Lists1978–2006
4Record Book (2 folders)1944–1974
4Special Report of the Executive Secretary of the Charlestown YMCA1944
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Series:
2. Administration, 1938–2004 (bulk 1980–1995)
Volume:2.5 cubic ft.
Arrangement:

Alphabetical
Summary:

This series contains materials pertaining to the daily operations of the Boston Armed Services YMCA, seizure by eminent domain of the City Square site, relocation and planning of a “functional replacement” structure, and legal agreements and correspondence. The series contains reports, guidance documents and manuals, personal and professional correspondence, promotional publications, permits and contacts, news articles about the Boston Armed Services YMCA and the Central Artery project, site and building descriptions, rosters, and building descriptions.

The Legal files include correspondence addressing a wide range of matters, including the functional replacement and negotiations with contractors, as well as more general legal advice. The files include building permits, agreements with contractors, and materials documenting the formation of the Parcel 150 Development Associates Limited Partnership, a joint venture between the Massachusetts Trustees of the International Committee of YMCA for Army and Navy Work, Inc. and the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) Housing Inc.

The Planning and Building Construction files further describe both the legal and physical planning of the functional replacement, as well as smaller construction and maintenance projects. The Central Artery files detail the highway construction which necessitated the razing of the City Square building. Also documented in this series is the opposition from both the Armed Services YMCA and the local community to the Department of Public Works' construction plans. (More information about the Boston Armed Services YMCA's response to the Central Artery plans can be found in the Future Development Committee Minutes in Series 1.) The Functional Replacement Planning Reports files contain chronologies of the overall planning process.

The contents of the Letters of Appreciation, Complaints, and Memos to Residents files describe life at the Armed Services YMCA/Constitution Inn as experienced by military guests, civilian guests, and homeless families residing there.
BoxTitleDate
4“Armed Services YMCA of Boston Needs Assessment Report”1991
4“Armed Services YMCA:” Newsletter1984–1995
4Awards and Certificates of Appreciation (2 folders)n.d., 1981–2003
4“A Compilation of the 1986 Entries of the Blue Ribbon Recognition Program and McDonald's Program Achievement Awards”1986
4Complaints2003
Constitution Inn
4History and Missionca.1993–2003
4Memos to Residents1993–1994
4Publications (2 folders)ca.1993–2002
4Correspondence with Various Corporations1973–1975
4Day Camp Training Program1989
4Eminent Domain: Correspondence and Notices from Department of Public Worksn.d., 1976–1985
4Hyde Park Outreach1992–1993
4Job Descriptions1980–1997
Legal
4General1919–1995
4Certificates1923–1992
4Contracts (7 folders)n.d., 1956–1992
4, 5Correspondence (10 folders)1930–2004
5Court Documents1979–1998
5Permits and Permit Applications1941–1979
5Letters of Appreciationn.d., 1975–2003
5Magazine Advertisementsca.1980–1990
5Manuals and Policies1986–1999
5Membership Information1992
5Morale, Welfare and Recreation (Military Organization)1993
5Narrative Shift Reports (2 folders)1995
5Newspaper Clippings (2 folders): Boston Armed Services YMCAn.d., 1972–2000
5Personnel Rostern.d., 1998
Planning and Building Construction
5Building Inspection Synopses1917–1945
FF5, D3Building Plans ca. 1985–1990
Central Artery
5General1974–1983
5Environmental Impact and Traffic Studies1979–1989
5Reports and Minutes of Central Artery planning committees1977–1979
5Construction Schedules and Progress Reports1990–1993
5Cornerstone Time Capsule Opening1988
5Dedication Ceremony1992
5Development Guidelines1977–1988
Functional Replacement
5General1980–1986
5Correspondence1974–1994
5Reports and Progress Journals1974–1993
5Massachusetts Department of Public Works: Correspondence1978–1986
Physical and Functional Building Descriptions
5Charlestown Navy Yard Building1996–1994
5City Square Buildingn.d., 1981
Physical Planning of Functional Replacement
5Correspondence1987–1998
5Design Specifications1978–1995
5Financialn.d.
5Furnishings and Fixturesn.d., 1983
6Estimates: Construction Costsn.d., 1990
6Functional Replacement Program Proceduresn.d., 1983
6Proposals: Building Designn.d., 1991
Site Search Committee
653 Fargo St., Boston, MA1990
6421 and 660 Summer St., Boston, MA1983–1984
6“Chocolate Factory,” Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MAn.d., 1989
6“Fargo Building,” Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA1980–1981
6Hoosac Stores Site, Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA1989
6Parcel 150, Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA1990
6Site Committee notes and memos1980–1991
6Various sites1984–1986
6Usage Reports, Statistics, and Evaluations (2 folders)1983–2002
6Welfare Case Worker Reports1993–1995
6Welfare–Related Programs and Policies1993–1994
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Series:
3. Audiovisual, 1950–2003 (bulk 1980–1995)
Volume:1.5 cubic ft.
Arrangement:

Alphabetical
Summary:

The audiovisual series documents the two Boston Armed Services YMCA facilities, visiting military personnel, local sites and special events such as anniversaries, holiday parties, award ceremonies and annual dinners. Of special interest are audio and video recordings recounting the history and goals of the YMCA, including an 1894 address to Springfield College, which was originally founded to educate YMCA professionals. The Girls' Services Organization (GSO) Reunion file, the Rotary Awards Luncheon file, and the Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES) 10th Anniversary file include photographs from the early 1950s and 1960s of women who had served in the military, or were active in a military support organization.
BoxTitleDate
7Audio Cassette: “George Williams Letter to Springfield College Students.” 1894
6Photocopied Photographs of City Square and Navy Yard buildings1985–1995
Photographs and Negatives
6General (4 folders)ca. 1950–2003
650th Anniversary, Boston Armed Services YMCA1967
675th Anniversary, Boston Armed Services YMCA (2 folders)1988
685th Anniversary, Boston Armed Services YMCA2002
6125th Armed Services YMCA of the USA1986
6Album: Boston Armed Services YMCA 50th Anniversary, Trustee Dinner, Recreation1959–2000
6Album: Casino Night, Carnival Event, General Assembly of YMCAs1988–1991
6Album: 1992 Awards Dinner1992
6Album: Christmas Party, Awards Dinner, USS Constitution1985–1999
6Album: Committee of Management, Annual Meeting, USS Groves Party, Opening of Time Capsule1987
6Album: Staff, Crew of USS Kennedy, City Square, Recreation Room, 1987 Christmas Party, Reenlistment Ceremony (2 folders)1986–1989
6Album: Tennis Camp, Kids' Fair1991
6Aerial Views of City Square1986
6Annual Dinners 1981–2000
7Award Dinners (2 folders) 1980–2004
7Award Presentationsca. 1950–1960
7Board Members n.d.
7Boston Sitesca.1991
7Charleston Community Council 1949
7Children's Award Ceremony 1990–2003
7Children's Parties 1990–1995
7City Square Facility Interiors and Exteriors1950–1990
7City Square Facility Renovations 1971
7Committee of Management Swearing In Dinner 2002
7Constitution Inn Staff ca.1991
7Cookouts1977–1990
7Fitness Classes n.d.
7Girls' Services Organization (GSO) Reunion1953
7Gold Star Mothers' Day 1994
7Groundbreaking Ceremony 1991
7Holiday Parties 1979–1995
7Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Awards 2003
7Maple Sugar Farm Tour 1991
7Navy Ships n.d.
7Navy Yard Facility Construction1991
7Navy Yard Facility Interiors 1991–2003
7Parades: Falmouth, Charlestown 1991–1995+
7Rollerskating Party 1970–1985
7Rotary Awards Luncheon 1961
7Tall Ships n.d.
7Trustee / Committee of Management Reception 1986
7United States Coast Guard: Ships and Officers n.d.
7USS Clark and USS Valdez: Crews and Families 1990–1991
7USS Leyte Gulf 1995–2000
7USS Long Beach, USS Salem 1997
7WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) 10th Anniversary 1952
7Weightlifting Equipment n.d.
7Welcome Home Party 1991
7Postcards of City Square Buildingn.d.
VHS Recordings
7“Armed Services YMCA: A Place Like Home”1980–1995
7“Armed Services YMCA: Serving Those Who Serve America1980–1995
7“Assembly Highlights: General Assembly of YMCAs, Boston”1988
7“Celebrity Testimonials (Y Stories), General Assembly of YMCAs, Boston”1988
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