BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
- FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - - - - 1 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5"') Staple to left side of form Photo number 4. Map. Draw sketch of building location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings. Indicate north. .1 RO111? In Area no. gormno. 24-C 1. Town Address Name_ Present use Worcester 158 Holden Street Smith-Thaxter-Merrifield Hous: children's home Worcester Children's Present owner Friend Society 3. Descriptiore-1741, alterations late Date 18th century? Source see reverse #9 Style timber-frame vernacular Architect probably none Exterior wall fabric Clapboard Outbuildings (describe) none Other features center-entrance opening facade, large central chimney, dentilled door frame, hip roof late 18th- Altered roof? Date early 19th century Moved no Date Assessors' Book 49, p.28 UTM: 5.
Lot size: Lot 20 62,404 sq.ft. 19/267680/4688120 , One acre or less Over one acre x Approximate frontage 2001 Approximate distance of building from street W. & M. Seaman ed. 6. Recorded by B.R. Pfeiffer: Organization Worc. Heritage Pres. Soc. Date December 1977 (over) 30M-5-77 7. Original owner (if known)_ Original use Elisha Smith II farmhouse institutional residence after 1946 Subsequent uses (if any) and dates_ 8. Themes (check as many as applicable) Aboriginal Agricultural Architectural The Arts Commerce Communication Community development Conservation Education Exploration/ settlement Industry Military Political Recreation - Religion Science/ invention Social/ humanitarian Transportation 9.
Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above) Known locally as the Merrifield House, 158 Holden Street is among Worcester's oldest buildings and is an excellent example of eighteenth- century vernacular architecture- Oi timber-frame construction, the house has a nearly square floot plan with a massive central chimnej rising through the center ofsthe structure's hip roof. The facade (south) is synmetrical, consisting of a center entry flanked on each side by two windows (Ist storey) and five windows (2d storey). The facade entry consists of an elaborate twelve-panel door (perhaps a replacement copy of the original) set between thin pilasters which support a dentilled cap. Once a common building tyre in Worcester, central-chimney hip-roofed houses are now rare, with only three examples extant.
-Iorm the Merrifield House may be the product of a late eighteenth-century renovation in which the original structure was enlarged and both the hip roof and front entry were added. More recent alterations are limited to the replacement of original sash, perhaps in the early twentieth century. The most likely first owner of 158 Holden Street is Elisha Smith II, ,a native of Weston who settled in Worcester near North Pond prior to the birth of his daughter, Mary, in 1741. Between 1775 and 1792 the house was sola to Benjamin Ihaxter, who occupiea the nouse in the late eigateentn and early nineteenth centuries. According to an 1890 history by Caleb Wall, the house was purchased by Deacon Alpheus Merrifield around 1849 for his son, Francis Merrifield, who operated a farm here. In 1866 the farm and house were sold to James Libby, whose heirs owned the 10.
Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, - early maps, etc.) property until ca.1915 when it was sold to the Norton Company which later gave it to the present owner- Worcester Historical Society. Organization file. wall, C. "Map of Worcester's Earliest Settlers" (1877) Nutt, C. History of Worcester, vol. I, p.160 (photo - "House at North Worcester") Spears Caleb: Old Landmarks and Historical Spots, (1931) p.145. North Worcester: Its First Settlers and Old Farms. (1890), p.145. 5 1980 propert Warceoter Mltiple Resomee Area (Partial Saventan) state MA (Warcester Horking Numberg. 30. 79.2060 TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos 383 +13 Maps 2,63 of Worceofe. Both the general descrytion al/ Acupt dow. Cach te Phenh at this fime (.g: 3 deckea DwmARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN Wien pobleme wah som conan u/h Bmiés ummento on 102-L-3 74.
Intgnty and /~ bondanies wech to be addesed "G-CBD - ", "7-E, and 130 -CBD-50 and spechally on indurdual ARCHEOLOGIST I16-CBD- 11 - Destroyed, connot be listel. 102 - LD - 44 = pamanet anunane tan cagortent sge atacd be 102-L-3 - Perlod o descussed with WINh 3 EXCENTONS AU PROPERTICS APPEAR TOME TO MEET AK CRITERI AND THE FORMS ARE ADEQUATE. RSO BOTH TECHNILALLY AND TO PETERMINE SICNIFLANCE. ALMOULI SAUE EE RHE FORNS DID NOT CONTAN STRONK STATEMENS IF SIGNIFICANCE THE KESOURCE CATEGONIES WERE TRDROWGHLY DISCUSSED IN THE BODY OF MHE NOMINATIONU; OTHER 2/2880 THEREFBRE SIGNIFICANCE JUAS ESTABLISHED. VBDS WERE NOT NELESSARY BELNJE O TYE SCHE MAPSAND CLEANLY DELNEATES BOUNDARIES. HURENDE WAS MITSING DIU SACE PROPEATES DUT EEIS MOW INCLLDEN AFTER BE 2/11/ CORREIRONS. HAER THE ONLY PROPERTIES THAT I DO NDT RECOMMENA LISTING ARE - 116-CBD-/3 - DESMOYCO BYFIRE MO - UO CBD-!!
Inventory - Review 130-CBD -44- PDCS. NOT RETLIN INTEGRITYFOR (NDIVIDUKBELGIBILITY v 102-L-3 / Poka WBOT CONVINLED ABOUT BOUNDANES REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BUT BEHEUE TUEY DOULD BE OK. # AASED ON ADDLTONA DOCUMLENTATION SUBMITTED - / DEFER JUDLEMENT. Recommend Listing all propertien Nexceet these 3. Return 116-CBD-I$ to Stuto (not elegeble); to derauss futha, +State.
DUBIE Retum 102 -L-3 to State fir cumectem; 3158 BRANCH CHIEF 3/3/81 HOLD 130-CBD -44 for info from stute DUBLE Staff conferenu 3/5/30 - agrud to action as zstel belor: KEEPER Solhe 3/5/80 5 1980 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 2.3.81 - Send-back Re-submit 313/80 REPORT Entered United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service ag rq JAN 1978 Aesue stuld 158 Hc smiph-Thaxto west+: hcrcester iáns Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000304