BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
- 80000534 FORM A - AREA SURVEY MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - - Form numbers in this area Area no. 142-C 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number 1. Town Worcester Sov Thr Name of area (if any) -Sargent Street Manufacturing District 3. General date or period 1866-1892 Rull 13 and15 - - 4. Is area uniform (explain): no (Second in style? Empire & utilitarian) in condition? yes (fair) in type of ownership? yes (private) in use? Jes (commercial/industrial) 5. Map. 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.
B.A RAILROAD SOUTHESRIDGE * #300 Southbridze SARGENT GOLD STREET N #|25GOLD DO NOT WRITE IN THIS SPACE USGS Quadrant MHC Photo no. (over) S. Lee ed. B.i. Pfeiffer 6. Recorded by Organization Worc. Heritage Pres. Soc. Date revised February 1979 UTM 19/268500/4681590 EM-)_75_DA61AGE 7. Historical data. Explain the historical/architectural importance of this area. The Sargent Street Manufacturing District is located immediately east of the junction of the Boston and Albany, the Norwich and Worcester, and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroads. The construction of these railroad beds in the mid-nineteenth century led to the development of the surrounding area as one of Worcester's major manufacturing centers, known as the Junction.
Having developed into a densely built industrial district by the early twentieth century, the Junction remained an active center of manufacturing until the mid-twentieth century when the decline of the city's center and the departure of many firms brought about the demolition of many factories and left the area with only fragmented remains of its industrial past. Containing three factories, the sargent Street Manufacturing District has historical associations with two im- portant local industries (the manufacture of machine cards for the textile waa inding DistrPt nas sense of the Junction's former industrial character. Particularly important is the Sargent Card-Clothing Factory (300 Southbridge Street), one of Worcester's earliest remaining factory buildings and a unique example of a once important building type.
Included in the district are: 300:Southbridge Street - The Sargent Card-Clothing Factory, built in 1866, is one of the most architecturally significant factory buildings in Worcester. The structure is built of brick, two stories high with a third storey enclosed by a mansard roof; the walls are divided by piers into even bays, each of which rises to & corbelled head and corbelled cornice. Centered in the building's west end is a square-plan tower which runs to four stories (original hip-on-hip roof removed in twentieth century). On its west face the tower contains the building's major entry, a date placque and a name placque. The tower's north, west and south elevations are framed by corner piers which support blind arches at the fourth storey. Set within each arch is a single oculus. The Sargent Factory is remarkably similar to that of T.K.
Earle (also a card manufacturer) built in 1857 (demolished). The Sargent Factory's plan and details are characteristic of a large number of factories built in Worcester during the last half of the nineteenth century, including the first factories built for the use of individual firms. During the 1880s the plan was modified by the elimination of mansard roofs and by lowering of tower heights until the tower's position was merely occupied by a projecting stairhall. Subse- quent demolitions of earlier factory buildings have left the Sargent (cont.) 8. Bibliography and/or references such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc. Worcester Commercial, MorLor Se at ueinon Sde (834) 3. E rao o.) p. 58 (illustrations 300 Southöridge and 5 Sargent) Rice, F. Worcester of 1898, pp.497-499 (Whitcombco.) Washburn, T. Industrial Worcester, pp. 77-79 (Sargent Co.), Pp.
118, 122-124 (Whitcomb). INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSAGIUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Conmnmity : Worcester Form No: 142-C sargent Street Property tähufacturing District Indicate each item on inventory for which is being continued belav. 7. Factory and the Ashworth and Jones Factory (Survey Form #173-B) as the only well-preserved examples of their type. In 1866, Joseph B. and Edward Sargent,_brothers, whose father operated a successful card-clothing factory in Leicester, formed the Sargent Card-Clothing Company and built 300 Southbridge Street.
By 1881, the firm was among the largest of its type in the United States, manufacturing "Machine Cards for Cotton, Wool and Flax machinery." Involved in a complex series of partnerships, the Sargent Card-Clothing Company acted "as special agents for the James Smith Woolen Machinery Company of Philadelphia" by 1881. By 1886 the business had become a part of the Sargent Hardware Company and in 1890 the business was sold to the American Card Clothing Company, a conglomerate which purchased all but two card- clothing factories in the United States. Biographical information regarding the Sargent brothers is scarce, as neither seems ever to have lived in Worcester. Still in use for industrial purposes, the sargent ractory Building is an important survivor of Worcester's industrial past and should be preserved, should a threat to its continued existence arise.
2 sargent Street - Bearing a stylistic resemblance to the sargent Factory, he Rice and Griffin was built prior to or during 1890. Originally the building was three stories high with a corbelled cornice and piers dividing its south wall into five equal bays. The structure was enclosed by a pitched roof which was removed in the early twentieth century when the present fourth storey was added. The Rice and Griffin Manufacturing Company was founded in 1866 (according to its advertisements) although the firm is not listed in city directories until 1069. In 1872 the company was first listed at 5 Sargent Street, where it remained until 1905. Principals in the firm were Erving F. Rice (1838-1896), Robert s. Griffin (1835-1902) and W.F. Knowlton (who withdrew from the company before 1872).
The company began with the manufacture of "mouldings, doors, sash & blinds"; in 1870s the manufacture of architectural ornament was expanded. In 1875 the company advertised that it had "the onl; Machine in New England that will work circle rope mouldings, cutting right and left." An illustration oi an ornate Victorian cottage more oi a decorative fantasy) accompanies the 1075 advertisement, showing some of the company's products. It seems likely that much of the Victorian wood- work that remains on Worcester buildings was made in this factory. Expansion of the business resulted in the addition of a small wing Sargent Street (ca. 1890), additions along Gold Street and the addition of a fourth storey (early 20th century) to the 1870 factory building.
(cont.) Starie to_lnventory form at botton INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston 3. Commnity : Worcester Form No: 142-C Property Name: Sargent Street manulacturing District Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 7. 125 Gold Street-- The Whitcomb Manufacturing Company Factory, built in 1892, is a two-storey brick building of utilitarian design. Founded in 1849 by Carter and Alonzo Whitcomb as C. Whitcomb Company, , the firm became the first successful manufacturer of copying presses im the United States. Having rented in several difterent locations, the company occupied the rear portion of 5 Sargent Street from 1877 until 1892. During this time the firn advertised its products as "metal Pannorstusngopanyod withopser t e In 1905 the whitcomb Whitcomb=Blaisdell Machine Tool Company.
Staple to Inventory form at bottom 7. INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston 4.. Commmity: Worcester Form No: 142-0 Sargent Street Property Manuifacturing District Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Property List Address 'Assessors' Data Bresent Owner Saul Talbert 300 Southbridge Street 5 Sargent Street 134 Gold Street Book 5, p. 12 Lot 13--31,254 sq. It. Book 5, Lot 10--11,955 sq. It. Book 5, 12 Lot 6A--10,938 sq. It. Max I. Rubenstein, Trustee Selbro Realty Corp. Staple to Inventory form at bottom -Poperty Warceoter Miltiple Resamre Aua (Partial Ianenteny) state MA (Warcester working Number8. 30.79.2060 TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos 383 +13 Maps 2,63 Exceetent muttyll resource namesatinn for the entine cely HISTORIAN of Worceofe.
Both the general descrytion a spatement of ae/acupt wnpane " te Lightre io. Cach tue ot rojety echeded e meel 10.30-79 4 reasors ent it-deck ARITECTURAL HISTORIAN properties are s conam m/h Bmcés commento m 102-L-3 "6-CBD - ", "7-E, and 130 -CBD-50 and 44. Intgnty and /a bondaries need to be addesed ppeahcally on indurdual tmms. DUBIE ARCHEOLOGIST H16-CBD- 17 - Destroyed, connot be listed. 130 - et - peat) Emun an colegorza nt Ee alad to' be - Period S descussed with WINt 3 EXCERTONS AL PROPERTIES APPEAN TOME TO MEET AK CRITERIA AND THE OTHER FORMS ARE ADEQUATE.RRSO BOTH TECHNIALLY AND TO DETERMINE SIENIFCANCE, ACTOLUA SAUE OF AHE FORME DID NOT CONTAIN SIRONE STATEMENS IF SIGNIFICANCE THE KESOURCE CHTEGONES WERE TUOROWHLY DISCUSSED IN DE BODY OF THE NONUNATION; 2/2888 TUEREFORE SIGNIFICANCE MAS ESTABLSHED.
VBDS WERE NOT NELESSARY BELHSE OF THE SCALE MAPSAND CLEANY DELNEATES BOUNDANES. HURENDE WES MSSTNG HAER DIU SACE PROPEATES DUT EEIS MOW INCLIDED AFTER HE 2/11/ CORRELIONS. THE ONLY PROPERTIES THSE I DO NOT RECOMMEN LISTING ARE Inventory - - 1/6-CBD-13 - DESNOYCOBYFIRE MO - 1 CBD- !1 Review 130-CBO-44- POES. NOT RETANN INTEGRITY FOR INDI VDUKAELIGIBILTY v (Br-L-3 I VOSAA WBOT CONVINLED ABOUT BOUNDINES REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BUT BELIEWE THEY SOULD BE DK. AASEN Recommenl ON ADOLTTONAL DOCUMENTATON SUBMITTED - / DERER JUDLEMENT . Listine all prooperties nexcept these 3. Return 1I6-CBD-I$ to Stute (nst elegeble); 7 s to durcuss futle +State. DUBIE Retur 102-L-3 to state fir cumrectem; 3/51 BRANCH CHIEF 3/3/81 HOLD 130-CBD -44 for info from stute DUBLE Staff conferenu 3/5/80 - agrud to action as sutel belrr: : "16-CBD-11 (official notfuati f zmit.
313/80 REPOLT National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry - Send-back Entered 2.3.81 Re-submit KEEPER Soldhe 3/5/80 MAR 5 1980 United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service 8L6T.NVC Prestige Prints by Berkey w142mnma AUG 5 sargent St Sgrgent St. Mant sauthring Destrict Sonth+ east samabridae elevations TALBERT TRADING CORR OFICE-5 OMINSIG. AVE. Coca-Cola Miss WORCESTER Miss Juorcester 8L6I NVC Prestige Prints AUG by Berkey e St ict ons Roll 15 - AUG 1979 St. MA ons 8LGI NVC Prestige Print by Berkey Roll Is MAY 79 188. 3588, 142 Wures AUG 300 Jouthbridbe Sargatst. MancFacturing Distriüt East y horth seutabrage elevation Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000304