BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM A - AREA SURVEY MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMÍSSION nº 800004 Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - Form numbers in this area Area no. 178-A-1 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5') Staple to left side of form Photo number 1. Town Worcester Name of area (if any) Holy Cross College - Fenwick and 0"Kane Halls National Register District 3. General date or period 1843-1905 4. Is area uniform (explain): no (mixed Victorian) in style? in condition? yes (excellent) yes (Holy Cross College) Rolls 3 * 4 - in type of ownership? in use? Jes (collegiate) 5. Map. Use space below to draw a general map of the area involved. Indicate any historic properties for which individual reports are completed on Forms B thru F, using corres- ponding numbers. Show street names (including route numbers, if any) and indicate north. Indicate with an "x" existing houses not inventoried on Form B.
Assessors'Book 26, Lot A DO NOT WRITE IN THIS SPACE USGS Quadrant MHC Photo no. (over) W. & M. Seaman 6. Recordedby ed. B.R. Pfeiffer Organization Worc. Heritage Pres. Soc. Date January 1978 UTM 19/268270/4679930 5M-2-75-R061465 7. Historical data. Explain the historical/architectural importance of this area. Description: The area included in this nomination contains 115,000 square feet of land (by rough estimation) and is part of an unmapped parcel shown in the index of Worcester Assessors' Book 26. Boundaries for this area are irregular and have been selected to include Fenwick and 0"Kane Halls. Further, boundaries have been selected to correspond to existing features in the surrounding landscape.
The area's north boundary is at the foot of a hill which slopes away from Fenwick Hall; the west boundary is an existing paved driveway; the south boundary is an existing paved driveway which extends along an irregular line formed by the base of a hill behind Fenwick Hall. to the east end of Fenwick Hall, mid-way between Fenwick Hall and the neighboring St. Joseph's Chapel. For an outline of boundaries see Map submitted with the Worcester Multiple Resource National Register Nomination. 1. Fenwick Hall: portions of east wing built 1840s; portions built 1852-1853 (Capt. Edward Lamb, architect); enlargement and extensive re- building 1867 (Elbridge Boyden, architect); enlargement 1075 (P.W. Ford, architect): "Commencement Porch" added 1907.
Fenwick Hall is a three and one-hali storey brick structure (approxi- mately 310' x 50') bearing elements of Victorian Gothic, Second Empire and Classical Revival styles, due to the building's many additions and re- designings carried out in the nineteenth and very early twentieth centuries. The building is symmetrical in plan with & central pavilion, from which rise two towers, and end pavilions with two-storey high hip roofs. Fenestration of the 2353 mostly of evenly spaced windows at each storey except at the secona and third stories of the structure's east end, where there are two-storey Except ior the towers, the building is enclosed by a nansard rooi with evenly spaced, arched dormers. At the center of the facade is a two-storey Corinthian portico, added in 1907. Throughout, the building is in excellent condition, retaining important features from each period of its expansion.
(cont.) 8. Bibliography and/or references such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc. See separate sheet 7. INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL CaMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : Worcester Form No: 178-A-1 Holy Cross College Fererd and o kane Falls Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued belai. Property Assessor's Data Present Owner 1. Fenwick Hall 2. O'Kane Hall Boak 26 Lot A Trustees of College of the Holy Cross College Street Worcester, Mass. 01610 Staple to Inventory form at bottom INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity : Worcester Form No: 178-A-1 Property Name: Holy Cross College Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 7.
Fenwick Hall has a remarkably complex building history which dates back to 1843 when a brick and granite academy building was built on this site. During the late 1840s, the 1843 building was enlarged by the addition of an east wing. In 1852 fire destroyed the original building, leaving portions of the east wing which were incorporated into the new building of 1852-1853. Illustrations of the 1843 and 1852 buildings show strong similaritles of plan and style (Greek Revival)- In 1867, alterations designed by Eldridge Boyden seem to have eliminated most of the building's Greek Revival style elements. At this time the 1852-1853 building was "raised one-storey", a new west wing constructed, towers added and a mansard roof built.
In 1875 the structure's east wing was also "raised one-storey"and extended eastward to a length of 112 feet; its mansard roof was either added or extended at this time to match the building's central pavilion and west wing. With an exterior of Victorian Gothic design (particularly its east facade), the enlarged east wing contained a refectory, study hall and chapel. Additions so changed the original Fenwick Hall that in 1893 the Worcester Commercial Magazine commented: "Few traces of the original building remain; the transiormation has been so perfect that but a small part of the first foundations have been left undisturbed." 2. O"Kane Hall, built 1895 (Fuller & Delano, architects). Attached to the west end wall of Fenwick Hall, O"Kane Hall is a five- storey brick structure of symmetrical plan, arranged about a central tower and end pavilions.
Containing elements of Romanesque Revival and Renaissance Revival styles, the building's facade (west) is dominated by a square-plan tower which rises in stages to a high pyramidal roof and The facade's fenestration consists mainly of regularly spaced windows except for the southern end oi the third and lourth stories where two-storey arched windows provide light to an auditorium. At the building's north end is a six-storey, flat-top tower which was designed (as was the central facade tower) to harmonize with the towers of Fenwick Hal1. At the rear of 0"Kane Hall (east) is a circular-plan tower, five stories high with a conical roof. In addition to its auditorium, 0"Kane Hall was designed to contain a gymnasium, assembly halls and classrooms. At present the building is in excellent condition with only minor alterations.
SIGNIFICANCE One of Worcester's oldest schools, Holy Cross has occupied its present campus since 1836 when Reverend James Fitton bought the 60-acre farm of "Henry Patch, deceased" on Pakachoag Hill. Soon after the purchase Fitton, who had organized Worcester's first Roman Catholic church (see St. John's Church - Form 131-K) hired Tobias Boland, a local builder, to construct a wooden building on the property, which then became the Seminary of Mount Saint James. Staple to Inventory form at bottom INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : Worcester Form No: 178-A-1 Property Name Holy Cross College Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 7.
In 1842 Fitton transferred title to the property to Bishop Benedict Fenwick, Boston's second Roman Catholic bishop, Who sought the aid oi Jesuit priests trom Georgetown College in washington, D.C- to help estab- lish a curriculum. In 1843 a brick and granite academy building was begun on the site of present Fenwick Hall and a seven-year course of study was instituted, with entering students ranging in age from eight to fourteen Upon its completion in 1844, the original brick building contained all of the schoolis offices, classrooms and dormitory rooms; after the building was largely destroyed in 1052, it appeared briefly that the school would close; however, soon thereafter the burnt building was reconstructed. From 1849 until 1865, Holy Cross was unchartered by the Commonwealth oi Massachusetts to grant academic degrees.
During this period the school's degrees were granted through Georgetown College. In 1865 Holy Cross was chartered, apparently due to an easing of anti-Catholic sentiments which followed the Civil War. From the school's founding until the addition of 0"Kane Hall in 1895, Fenwick Hall housed nearly all of the college's activities. After 1904, when other buildings began to be added to the campus, Fenwick and 0"Kane Halls lost some of their earlier functions of library, chapel and gymnasium, but remained the school's major buildings. The large size of these two structures, their hillside site and many towers make Fenwick and 0"Kane Halls major local landmarks which are visible throughout many sections of Worcester.
- Staple to Inventory form at bottom INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity: Worcester Form No: 178-A-1 Property Name: Holy Cross College Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 8. Bibliography Holy Cross College. College Archives. Worcester Historical Society. College File. Evening Gazette, June 10, 1927 (Boland biography) Worcester Conmercial, March 1893, p-413. Worcester Magazine, November 1901, D-139. Brochure, "Welcome to the Campus of Holy Cross College." Farnsworth. Story of Worcester, pp.200-211 (Fitton biography) Howland, H. Worcester in 1850, p.14 (illustration of 1843 building) Howland,H. The Heart of the Commonwealth, p.47 (illustration of 1853 building) Meagher, W. Ihe Spires of Fenwick (1966 - history of college) Nutt, C. History of Worcester, vol. II, PP.745-747. Rice, F.
Worcester of 1898, pp.180-185 (photo) No author. "Historical sketch of the College of the Holy Cross" at Holy Cross College. Staple to Inventory form at bottom Property Warceoter Multple Resource Dva (Partial Iauentary) State MA (Warcester Working Number8. 30.79.2060 TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos 383 +13 Maps 2,63 suclent multyll resource nomeration for the extire cily HISTORIAN of Worceofe. Both the general descrytion o spatement f Caul/Acapt gndn. Each se endividual invertory sheet ar done. Eack Kype of ayety ordededcnus uncheded i weel Lightne 10.30-74 conam wth Bmiés ummenti i02-4-3, NC-CBD-", "7-E, and 130-CBD-50 and 44. Integnty and /or bomdaries need to be addessed specrhcully on induidual trms. DUBIE ARCHEOLOGIST 0 - 44 -
descussed with WINH 3 EXCERTONS AU PROPERTIES APPEAN TO ME TO MEET AK CRITERIA AND ME FORMS ARE ADEQUATE RED BOTH TECHNILALLT AND TO DETERMINE BICNIFICANCE. ACMOLHI SOME EE TE FORMS DiD NOT CONTAN SIRONE STATEMENS IF SIGNIFICANKE THE KSSOURCE CHEGONIES WERE TROROWSALY DISCUSSED IN THE BODY OF THE NDRINATION; TUEREFORE SIGNIFICANCE LAS ESTABLSHED. UBDS WERE NOT NELESSARY BELNSE MHE SCALE MAPSAND CLEANY DEUNEATED BOUNDANIES. ALRENDE WAS ALISSING DIU SANCE PROPENTES DUT EIIS MOW INCLLDEN AFTER TE 2/11/ CORRELRONS. THE ONLY PROPERTIES TKAT I DO NOT RECOMMEND LASTING ARE - 116-CBD-13 -DESAOYCO BY FIRE MO- 1CBD-L 2/2888 HAER Inventory- Review 130-CB0-44- PDES NOT RETAN INTEGRITY FOR INDI VIDUKBELGIBILITY v102-L-3 / DORS-PRL EST CONVINLED ABOUT BOUNDANES REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BUT BELIEUE MEY BOUCA BE OK. #AASEN Recommand ONN ADDITTONAL DOCUMLENTATAN SUBMITTED - / DEPER JUDLEMENT.
Listing all proparties sexcept these 3. Return 116-CBD-1$ to Stute et segeba 1-3 to state fn curedem; otodesauss futo +State. DUBIE & BRANCH CHIEF 3/3/81 HOLD 130-CBD -44 for info from state BUBIE Staff confermu 3/5/30 -agrud to action as zusted belrr: 16-CBD-1I (official notfirati o wn sfote) KEEPER Entered Soldhe 3/5/80 MAR 5 1980 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 2.3.81 Send-back Re-submit United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Roll 4 ,978 JAN 1978 by Berkey BUGP78-A-1 Haly Cross Callege Fenoneck"Hall Nosth Eleation Prestige Prints DE DEC 1977 Prestige Prints 178-A -10 Wereeste MRA, Ma Haly hres adlege West Elation 1988 by Berkey <117 1.9.11 DEC 1977 werces 1-A-1 LAUG. Hly Craa Cllge East y Bauth Prestige Prints by Berkey {113}