Nomination for Osborn House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

FHR-8-300 (11-78) United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms Type all entries - complete applicable sections 1. Name Osborn Idouse For HCRS use only received JAN 2 9 1980 date entered APR historic Durfee-Carr Osborn House and/or common 2. Location Osborn House (preferred) street & number 456 Rock Street city, town Fall River state Massachusetts 3. Classification Category Ownership district public X building(s) X private _ structure both site Public Acquisition object in process being considered .

vicinity of - not for publication 10th code 025 congressional district county Bristol code 005 Status X occupied unoccupied - work in progress Accessible X yes: restricted - yes: unrestricted _ no Present Use agriculture commercial educational entertainment government industrial military -museum - park _ private residence -religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name John Gacher & Federico Santi street & number 456 Rock Street city, town Fall River vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Fall River Registry of Deeds street & number 441 N. Main Street book 1201 pages 91-93 city, town Fall River state Massachusetts 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Inventory of the Historic Assets of title the Commonwealth #369 has this property been determined elegible?

- yes _ no date 1979 federalX state .county _ local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission city, town Boston state Massachusetts 7. Description Condition - excellent x good _fair . deteriorated .ruins . unexposed Check one unaltered _X altered Check one X original site - moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Durfee-Carr-Osborn House occupies a lot at the southwest corner of Rock and Maple Streets in "the Hill" section of Fall River. An elaborate example of Greek Revival style architecture, thehouseismade upof a three-story main houseandone-and-one-half story rear ell, both of wooden construction. The main house is nearly square in plan (45'X 50') with four interior end-wall chimneys. The structure rises from a foundation of hammered granite ashlar to a low hip root. All elev- ations are faced with matched boarding, the horizontal joints of which have been scored. The corners of the main house are framed by Doric pilasters which support a wide frieze and a dentilled cornice. except for the first story windows of the facade (south elevation) which contain floor-to- ceiling 6/9 sash.

Centered on the roof of the main house is an octagonal cupola, each face of which contains a four-pane casement window. The cupola is enclosed by a nearly flat roof, which projects far out over the body of the cupola to form a dees cornice. The facade (south elevation) is perpendicular to Rock Street and is approached from a circular driveway. It is symmetrical, having at its center a monumental Corinthinian portico of three bays' length and one bay's depth. Where this portico is joined to the facade, it is supported by Doric pilasters. Set behind the portico's center bay, the house's main entry is framed by Doric pilasters and an entablature. Standing in antis are two fluted columns with acanthus and palm-leaf capitals. The door itself, is surrounded by rectangular sidelights and a rectangular transom.

Fenestration of the facade consists of four windows at the first story and five at the second. The east elevation faces Rock Street and contains four évenly spaced windows at both the first and second stories. Set in the frieze of the entablature are four three-pane lights, each of which is concealed by an ornate grille. Set out from the northeast corner of the main house is a one-story entry bay which is framed by Doric pilasters supporting an entablature. On the east face of this bay is a two-panel door framed by rectangular side- lights and a transom. The west elevation of the main house resembles the east elevation with the addition of a first story porch, one small oval window at the second story and the lack of grilles on third story windows. The porch is four bays long and one bay deep, framed by Doric pilasters which support an entablature.

Above the cornice 1s a solid parapet with a projecting The north elevation of the main house is asymmetrically arranged, due to its connection to the rear ell. The rear ell consists of a rectangular-plan, hip roofed pavilion joined to the main house by -a narrow connector with a low-pitched roof. Although the ell contains two stories, its height is equal to only one-and-one-half stories of the main house. The ell rests on a granite foundation and is covered with clapboarding. Exterior trim consists of wide corner boards, a wide, undecorated entablature and shallow mouldings at the heads of first story windows. Sash throughout is 6/6 for first story windows and single sliding lights of six panes each for second story windows. Fenestration of the ell varies by elevation.

Alterations to the house's exterior are minor, consisting of the glazing of the west porch and the removal of a solid parapet from the main house.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Carr Osborn House, Fall River Period - prehistoric 1400-1499 :1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 X 1800-1899 1900- Areas of SignificanceCheck and justify below _ archeology-prehistoric - community planning - archeology-historic conservation agriculture architecture +319N economics 7education _ art #w engineering commerce _exploration/settlement .communicatións X industry invention _ landscape architecture law literature military _ music - philosophy - politics/government . religion science . sculpture Social/ humanitarian theater transportation other (specify) Specific dates 1843 Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Builder/Architect Russell Warren of Providence, architect The Durfee-Carr-Osborn House possesses integrity of location, design, setting and materials as well as historical associations with several of Fall River's leading nineteenth-century industrialists and with the establishment of "the Hill" as a wealthy residential district during the mid-nineteenth century. One of three houses designed by Russell Warren and built for members of the Borden-Durfee family in th early 1840's, the Durfee-Carr-Osborn House is the last of the three extant and remains Fall River's most elaborate example of Greek Revival architecture. As one of the first houses built on "the Hill" (referred to as "the Highlands") overlooking Fall River's center, the Durfee-Carr-Osborn House was sited so that its facade faced a terraced lawn and, more distantly, Fall River center and Mt. Hope Bay.

At present, the house remains in nearly original condition, both inside and out. The house's original owner, for whom it was designed, was Joseph Durfee, whose Massasoit and Wamsutta Mills; in addition, he served on the boards of directors of daughter, Elizabeth, and her-husband, Willian Carr, who occupied the property for more that fifty years. After 1880, the house was also occupied by the Carr's daughter and her husband, James Osborn. Osborn was prominent in the City's textile (1896-1898) and treasurer of the Merchant's Manufacturing Company; the latter two his daughter, Elizabeth and her husband, Leeds Burchard. In 1951, the house was sold and converted to aparish house for the adjacent Presbyterian Church. In 1977, the property was sold to its current owners who con- verted it back to a single-family residence.

The house is currently being restored based, in part, on the Durfee-Carr-Osborn family photographs and on some original furnishings which have been found in storage in the house.

The rest of the file

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

Major Bibliographical References Frank Walcott Hutt (Editor) A History of Bristol County Massachusetts Lewis Historical Publishing Company 1924 volume III pp. 159-160 10. Geographical Data UIM NOT VERIFIED Acreage of nominated property l2 acres Quadrangle name - Fall River AEMFAGE MOT VERIFEE uadrangle scale1:24000 UMT References A49BkP|910 146 119/31210 Zone Easting Northing Easting DLI LITLLL Northing LLILLL E GL HLL duyttL (continued) Verbal boundary description and justification See site plan 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 Brian Pfeiffer, Consultant with John Gacher Fredrico Santi organization Massachusetts Historical Commission date November 1979 street & number 294 Washington St. telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town Boston state Massachusetts 12.

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 Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service. atua l Westroski 1/4/50 State Historic Preservation Officer signature Executive Director title Massachusetts Historical Commission For HCRS use only I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register Keeper of the National Register Drye Attest: atrich Andus Chief of Registration date date 1/410.

date 3/24/80 GPO 938 835 FHR-8-300A (11/78) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTOR Y -- NOMINATION FORM FOR HCRS USE ONLY RECEIVED JAN 2 9 1980 DATE ENTERED CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 1 Lockwood, Alice G.B., Gardens of Colony and State, Charles Scribner's Sons for the Garden Club of America 1931 pp. 247-48. Tercentenary Committee of Fall River, Fall River in History, Munroe Press 1930 p.23. Property Ooborn House State Ma-Bristal TECHNICAL Working Number 1-29-80 308 Maps CONTROL Built in 1843 this three stou, wooden building is an eloborate example (and the only HISTORIAN Patuick Andues andoctagnal cupola, Except for the removal o a parapet the house is vutuall 3/21/80 inside and out.

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF SEK AATO TLEAIONE REPORT FOR BOUNDAR Y JUSTIFICATION . BRANCH CHIEF ACCEN DORA 4/4/80 KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 2.3.80 - Send-back Re-submit Entered APR 4 United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service 1980 Soutl facade guat portico facing chure 456 POck st Durfee-Carr Osborn Hou. 456 Rock Street Fall River, Mass. B. Frederico Santi 456 Rock St. Fall River, Mass. Photo #1 of 4 south facade facing chr JAN 2 9 1980 East elecation forn Rock St. Dur fee-Carr Osborn House. 456 Rock Street Fall River, Mass. Brese Frederico Santi 456 Rock St. Fal1 River, Mass. Photo #2 of 4 east facade facing Rock S JAN 2 9 1980 Durfee-Carr(Osborn House 456 Rock St. Fall River, Mass. - Brest Frederico Santi Oct. 456 Rock St. Fall River, Mass.

Photo #3 of 4 northeast corner Rock and Mar JAN 2 9 1980 AP xortkwest elvatin fom maple et. Durfee-Carr Osborn Ho 456 Rock St. Fall River, Mass. Federico Santi 456 Rock St. Fall River, Mass. Photo #4 of 4 northwest corner from JAN 2 9 1980 456 Rock #2 -- Nol3 Fall Rive MRA car- osbarn. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE DATE 3/25/80 TELEPHONE REPORT TIME OF CALL AM PM 1. CALL TO: FROM (Name) 2. ADDRESS (Tel. No. if needed) Brian Pteiffer MA. SHPÕA qfuce 3. SUBJECT, PROJECT NO., ETC. Osborne House - Bristol co. MA. DETAILS OF DISCUSSION We need a justification for the 1 V½ acres - Candy Jenkims is the anly person familar with the nomination. She will beout of the office until Apiil2 - she will call then. 4/4180 - the house originally was beated on a sace bta dt sits on the parcel marked #34 on the site plan.

Paucels 33 and 19 are part of the oriqinal back yaud and consist of terraced steps (now overgroun) and the remains I an ouchand. NAME RSON PLACING/ atic nduue FHR-8-227 June 1978 ECEIVING CALL TITLE OFFICE ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered APR 4 1980 Name Location Osborn House Fall River Bristol County Also Notified Honorable Paul Isongas Honorable Edward M. Kennedy Honorable Margaret M. Heckler State Historic Preservation Officer Mrs. Patricia L. Weslowski Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 NR Byers/bjr 4/9/80 For further information, please call the National Register at (202) 343-6401.