Nomination for Whitcomb House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev.

10-74) PH0355330 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVED JAN 19 1977 DATE ENTERED NOV 9 1977 - SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC Kf Whitcomb House AND/OR COMMON same 2 LOCATION 3 STREET & NUMBER 51 Harvard Street CITY, TOWN Worcester STATE Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT -- VICINITY OF 3 CODE 025 COUNTY Worcester CODE 027 CATEGORY -DISTRICT X BUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC XPRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION _IN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED _UNOCCUPIED _WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE -YES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED -NO PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE _MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL PARK _EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION MILITARY X OTHER: Home for the Blind OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Memorial Homes for the Blind Corporation STREET & NUMBER 51 Harvard Street CITY.

TOWN Worcester _ VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION STATE Massachusetts 01608 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC. STREET & NUMBER Worcester County Courthouse, Registry of Deeds 2 Main Street CITY, TOWN STATE Massachusetts 01608 Worcester, REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1973 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS Massachusetts Historical Commission CITY. TOWN FEDERAL *STATE COUNTY LOCAL Boston STATE Massachusetts 02108 71 DESCRIPTION CONDITION -EXCELLENT XGOOD -FAIR _DETERIORATED _RUINS UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE X UNALTERED SALTERED CHECK ONE *ORIGINAL SITE -MOVED DATE DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Whitcomb House, built between 1879 and 1880,is an asymmetrical, polychromatic, high Victorian mansion. It is a three-story granite structure, with a picturesque roofline composed of numerous shingled dormers. The house measures forty feet by seventy feet and is adjoined by several porches, verandas and a conservatory. It is located at the corner of Highland and Harvard Streets and surrounded on the north and east sides by a low stone fence. The facade of the house is composed of three vertical planes. It is dominated by a three-story, central gabled wing. The top of the wing, within the gable, is decorated with diaper work and framed at the roof's edge with a coping of light colored stone. The projecting central wing contains the house's main entrance.

The entrance is reached by four steps which rise from the street level and is formed by a round arch, supported by two 'carved Gothic-style granite columns. The door itself is wooden, with a wood frame containing side lights and a lunette window. A second story balcony of ornamented cast iron rests on heavy carved stone brackets above the door, creating an entrance shelter. The two-story sections of the house which flank the central wing are asymmetrical, but balanced. The left side is occupied by a porch on the first floor; on the right side there is a pair of small windows. At the second story, on the left there is a single window, set off center; on the right there is a double window. The stone surrounding the windows is lighter than the granite of the walls, creating the polychromatic effect. Dormer windows break the roofline of the flanking sections.

The corners of the facade are rounded, with a three-story turret and conical slate roof on the right and a gently sloped, cut away corner on the left. The interior of the house retains most of the original floor plan. The use of the rooms, however, has been altered to accommodatethe needs of the Home for the Blind which occupies the house. Remnants of the original elegant interior details remain throughout the house. The formal rooms on the first floor are finished in cherry, oak, butternut and mahogany, and the walls and ceilings are covered with decorative painting. Tile, terracotta and marble are used in the trim around the fireplaces. The second floor rooms are finished in cherry, ash and maple. Behind the house stands the stable and carriage house. It is a one-story rectangular building of local stone. A high hipped slate roof caps the building.

The roof is trimmed along its ridge with a wooden lace-like decoration and finials at each end. At the center of the ridge is a wooden cupola with a pyramidal roof and weathervane. The facade of the carriage house is dominated by a large carriage door, located to the left of center. At the center of the facade at the second story rises a peaked dormer with a masonry front and arched opening for loading hay into the loft. The interior of the carriage house has been renovated for use as a workshop for the blind.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 _ 1500-1599 -1600-1699 -1700-1799 X1800-1899 -1900- -ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE XARCHITECTURE ART -COMMERCE _COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW _COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _CONSERVATION -LAW _ECONOMICS -LITERATURE -EDUCATION -MILITARY -ENGINEERING -MUSIC -EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT -PHILOSOPHY XINDUSTRY -POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION -RELIGION -SCIENCE SCULPTURE -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -THEATER -TRANSPORTATION -OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Whitcomb House is an architecturally and historically significant structure in the city of Worcester. It is a fine example of a high Victorian mansion and was the home of one of Worcester's most successful businessmen and generous philanthro- pists of the nineteenth century. The house was built in 1879-80 for George H. Whitcomb and was lived in by the Whitcomb family until 1918, when it was given to the Memorial Home for the Blind. George H. Whitcomb was born in Templeton, Massachusetts in 1842. He was educated at Phillips Academy in Andover and Amherst College. After graduation from Amherst College, with capital supplied by his father, he founded Bay State Envelope Company. Bay State Envelope began as a small one-man company and grew into a large and profitable industry.

By 1895 one third of all staple envelopes used in the United States were manufactured in Worcester. In 1898, having made a substantial fortune from the envelope industry, Whitcomb sold Bay State Envelope to U.S. Envelope Com- pany. Whitcomb also amassed a considerable amount of money in real estate transac- tions in Colorado and Washington, as well as in Worcester. In addition to the important role which George Whitcomb played in the economy of Worcester during the nineteenth century, he was also devoted to many charitable and educational interests. He was a trustee of Amherst, Mount Holyoke and Oberlin Colleges. He founded a scholarship at Amherst, erected and endowed Whitcomb Music Conservatory at Doane College, Crete, Nebraska and erected Whitcomb Chemical Labora- tory at Drury College, Springfield, Ohio. Upon his death in 1918, his home was given to the Society for the Blind.

Architecturally the house is significant as one of the few remaining houses designed by the local architect Stephen C. Earle. Earle designed numerous churches and several public buildings in the Worcester area, but only several houses. Ine Whitcomb house is a fine example of the architect's residential work and home of a wealthy nineteenth century businessman.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Nutt, Charles, History of Worcester and its People, Lewis Historical Pub. Co., New York, 1919, Vol. IV pp. 794-8 Worcester Society of Antiquity Proceedings, Roe, A.S. "Iwenty Years of Harvard Street, 1896 pp. 297-8 Worcester Gazette, January 17, 1919 p. 10 Worcester, Massachusetts, Worcester County Conmandery, K.T., 1895 Waite Papers.

Albert Waite, in possession of American Antiquarian Society GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY Less than one acre UTM REFERENCES 880 AL119 2/618/910101 ZONE EASTING CLI VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION 460 |416/813|41110/ NORTHING ASTIN( LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE 11 FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE Andrea M ORGANIZATION Gilmore DATE Massachusetts Historical Commission STREET & NUMBER 294 Washington Street CITY OR TOWN Boston July 1976 TELEPHONE 617-727-8470 STATE Massachusetts 2 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL - STATE_ LOCAL As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE Mahith Ked Amadmn TITLE Executive Officer Massachusetts Mistorical Commission DATE (/10/27 FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Mut ATTEST: FPICE-OFARCHEOLOGY-ANDHISTORIC-PRESERVATION 11.4.22 REGISTER GPO 892.453 Property Whitconk Hause State Mass.

Horking Mumber 1, 19.72./2/ TECHNICAL VAhiiaret Photos. Maps 77000653 Worcester 4.26.77 CONTROL O 1,51. 27 HISTORIAN accypt B. Grosvenu 1//20/77 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN bbowich 4,14.17 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Acczp Cole 4-25-27 BRANCH CHIEF National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 12.6.2> Send-back. Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 KEEPER Hunyo 11-4.77 NOV 9 1977 INT:2106- 74 COMMON WEALTH MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT EDUCATION DIVISION OF THE BLIND CHAIR SHATS RE CANED Worcester Co.

Whitcomb House Worcester, MA Susan Ceccacci 1975 Worcester Heritage Society 321 Main St., Worcester, MA Facade of the Whitcomb House Photo #1 72 JAN 1 9 1977 NOV 9 1977 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER Worcester Ca Whitcomb House Worcester, MA Susan Ceccacci IAN 19 1977 1975 Worcester Heritage Society 321 Main St., Worcester, MA Facade of the carriagehouse and stables Proto #2 7 2 NOV 9 1977 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER PAUL GUZZI Jocrebary of the Commonwealth The Commonvealch of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary Massachusetts Historical Commission 291 Washingion Street Boston, Massachuselts 02108 (617) 727-8470 January 12, 1977 Mr. Charles Herrington Registrar National Register National Park Service Department of the Interior RECEIVED JAN 191977> NATIONAL REGISTER Washington, D.C.

20240 Dear Charles: Enclosed please find nomination forms for the following properties: Worcester, Whitcomb House Haverhill, Bradford Common Historic District Watertown, Edmund Fowle House These properties were reviewed by the Massachusetts Historical Commission (State Review Board) and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer, Elizabeth R. Amadon. Sincerely yours, Patunc L. Wweslowsti Patricia L. Weslowski Survey Director Massachusetts Historical Commission enc PLW/etd ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered NOV 9 1977 Name Sturbridge Connon Historic District Whitcomb House Location Sturbridge Worcester County Worcester WorcesteI County Also Notified Hon. Edward W. Brooke Iion. Edward M. Kennedy Hoa. Edward P. Boland Hon. Juseph D. Early Reglonal Director, North Atlantic Region 880 Mott/js 11/10/77 State Ilstorlc Preservation Officer Mra.

Elizabeth R. Anadon Executive Director, Massachusetts Bistorical Comnission 294 Washington Street Boston, liassachusetts 02108 NR Data Sheet DATE: 1147 Reviewer NR LaBoves NOV 9 1977 NAME AS IT APPEARS IN FEDERAL REGISTER: Whitcomb House OTHER NANES: LOCATION: STREET & NUMBER 51 Harvard St. CITY. TOWN Worcester CONGRESSIUNAL DISTRICT 3rd STATE Massachusetts 25 .VICINITY OF COUNTY Worcester code 27 OWNER OF PROPERTY: (Circle) PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV'T MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER FEDERAL (AGENCY NAME): ADMINISTRATOR (underiine) NPS REGION: (CIRCLE) N.ATLANTIC MID ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST MIDWEST SOUTHWEST ROCKY MOUNTAIN WEST PACIFIC NORTHWEST FEATURES: INTERIOR _ Substantially intact-1 - unknown - 4 - not applicable - 7 CONDITION - SXCELLENT GOOO -FAIR EXTERIOR VSubstantially intact-2 ENVIRONS - Substantially intact-3 _ unknown.-5 _.

unknown -6 - not applicable - 8 _Not applicable-9 _Interio=, exterior, environs not intact-0 _DETERIORATED LUNALTERED LRUINS _ALTERED _UNEXPOSED _ Reconstructed LORIGINAL SITE _MOVED _Unknown _U'nexcavated _Excavated ACCESS - Yes-restricted Yes-unrestricted No access Inknown historic district? YES NO WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT? IF YES, NAME: YES NO WITHIN NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK? IF YES, NAME: YES NO ADAPTIVE USE: YES NO Saved? YES NO FUNCTION(S): (use vocabulary words) then- Roidentral now-iistitutional-hme fo blind. SIGNIFICANCE: _ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE LARCHITECTURE ART _COMMERCE -COMMUNICATIONS Claims "first" _CONSERVATION -ECONOMICS -EDUCATION - ENGINEERING -EXPLORATION ANDUSTR' JNVENTION YES NO -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _LAW/Gov't/politics -LITERATURE _MILITARY - MUSIC _PHILOSOPHY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT "' oldest'?

YES NO -RELIGION _SCIENCE LSOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) "only" --entertainment _health _recreation _settlement _socio/cultural _urban & commun planning YES NO ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Queen Aune architect/m.builder:Sterphen C. Eaule landscape/garden designer: interior decorator: engineer: artist/artisan: builder/contractor: ETHNIC GROUP: NAMES: (label role & appropriate date) events personal Gorge Whitconh prominent industialist and phitanthropot institutional DATES: DATE OF CONSTRUCTION (specific date or 1/4 of century): 1879- 1880 DATE (S) OF "MAJOR" ALTERATIONS: HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT DATE (S) : SOURCE. (OF NOMINATION) PRIVATE OTHER FEDERAL 'AGENCY: ACREA GE: (ko nearest ceneh of an et .

9 STATE LOCAL GOV"T MUNICIPAL COUNTY COMMENTS: (include architectural information here) stone, 24nstoy, nsegulan massing, gables, dormers, " crner toner, Zstory sectons, eluuney Stone camiager stable house; istay, reptangula, hijp, wentlatos SIGNIFICANCE:(maximum two sentences) gord exampleof late 19THc comestic arclitecture built fir meof Worcesteis most succesaful lesieisman and generous philantiropens, Geoge abiteont