BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM A - AREA SUNVEN nO 90000517 Form numbers in this area MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - Area no. 116-CBD- 23 1. Town Worcester Mechanics Hall Name of area (if any) Historic District 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5"9 Staple to left side of form Photo number 3. General date or period 1854-1925 4. Is area uniform (explain): no (mixed Victorian and in style?_ 20th century) in condition? no (fair to excellent) Rolls 26, 27 & 20 in type of ownership?Jes (private) in use? yes (commercial) 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.
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS SPACE USGS Quadrant MHC Photo no. 6. Recorded by Organization_Worc. Heritage Pres. Soc. (over) Date UTH 19/268890/4682870 CArg 7C 7. Historical data. Explain the historical/architectural importance of this area. Physical District: Containing eight commercial buildings, the Mechanics: HalI District contains one of Worcester's few remaining clusters of densely built commercial row buildings. Boundaries for the district were chosen to include row buildings on both sides of Main Street (north and south of Mechanics' Hall) which preserve a sense of Main Street's devel- opment in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and which provide Mechanics' Hall with the densely built setting for which it was designed.
Rear boundaries of the district follow the rear lot lines of included buildings, which are: 1902 (Fvller & Delano, architects) 2022% Built in 1895-1896, the Central Exchange Building occupies the site of the 0ld Central Exchange Building of 1830, a Federalist style büilding which was burned in 1843, rebullt in 1844 and demolished in the.1890s. A five-storey structure, faced witth limestore, the present building was Illutrated In the American Architect and Building News in 1096, at which time it consisted of the southern three-quarters of the present Iacade. Of eclectic Classical design, the facade was originally symme- titcal, terminating in end pavilions which rise to broken scroll pediments of pressed copper. At the first storey center is a richly carved lime- stone entry (tow being uncovered).
Upper floors contain a wealth of carved stone panels, arched window heads set on carved capitals, and other decorated window surrounds. In 1902 the building was extended northward from its original end pavilion. Built in the style of the original structure, this addition has frontages on Main and Exchange Streets, and contains elaborately carved limestone as well as original stone and metal store Ironts. At the rear of the bullding, concealed from Main Street, is a later lour-storey brick building which is connected to the Central Building by bridges. Of utilitarian design and later construction, this rear building is unimportant to the area's significance. The Central Exchange Building was Iirst owned by Mrs. Lizzie Davis Dewey, daughter of real estate developer Harrison Bliss and wite of Francis H. Dewey. It is probable that Mrs.
Dewey held title to the not take an active part in its developmentFrancis H. Dewey, the son and grandson of prominent local judges, was born in wor- cester in 1856, studied law in a local law office and at Harvard University 8. Bibliography and/or references such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, (cont.) early maps, etc. INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity: Wor cester Form No: 116-CBD- 23 Mechanics' Hall Property Name: Historic District Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 7) 1. and in 1879 his own law office in Worcester. In 1880 he was made a trustee of the Mechanics' National Bank and of the Worcester Savings Bank (both early tenants of the Central Exchange Building).
By 1888 Dewey had been elected president of the National Bank in addition to his other extensive business interests, among which were the Worcester Consolidated Street Railway Company (director after 1893, president after 1898), New England Investment and Security Company (of which he was president) and the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company (of which he was a director). Dewey's interest in conmercial development is characteristic of many of the city's prominent lawyers, who took an active role in the conmercial development of Main Street in the nineteenth century. 2. Mechanics' Hall, 321 Main Street: built 1855-1857 (Elbridge Boyden, architect). A unique example of Italianate style architecture and con- taining an early concert hall, Mechanics' Hall serves both as a major local landmark and as a focal point of the Mechanics' Hall District.
Mechanics' Hall was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on November 9, 1972; for further information see nomination papers. Empty lot, 327-333 Main Street; site of a Victorian Gothic style conmercial block, demolished. 3. Burnside Building, 335-343 Main Street: built 1886-1887 (Bradlee, Winslow and Wetherell of Boston, architects). The Burnside Building is a four-storey brick block with ornate sand- stone trim. Designed as a row building, the structure's facade (west) originally cóntained store fronts (first storey) and plate-glass display windows (second storey) set in a cast-iron surround. This original arrangement of the first two stories is now covered by modern materials. The building's upper three stories are symmetrically arranged about a narrow center bay.
All windows are set in stone architraves with decora- tive panels between third and fourth storey windows; fifth storey windows are arranged in groups of two and three windows, divided internally by stone columns. At the roof line is a wide sandstone entablature, above which is a shallow cornice of egg-and-dart moulding and modillions. Although employing elements of Romanesque Revival design, the Burnside Building does not fit purelj into a single style. Among the larger commercial blocks of the 1880s, the Burnside Building was built by the heirs of Samel Burnside (a local lawyer) on the site of an earlier two-storey cormercial building.
Acting as & corporate body, the Burnside heirs received plans for the building from the Boston Iirm of Bradlee, Winslow and Wetherell, designers of the Hemenway Building (corner Tremont and Court Streets, Boston) to which the Burnside Building bears a resemblance. (cont.) Staple to Inventory form at bottom FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : Worcester Form No: 116-CBD- 23 Mechanics Hall Property Name Historic District Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 7) 4. Elagg'3 Bullding, 282-294 Main Stroet; built 1854 (architect An important local oxample of Italilanate architecture, Flagg's Building is Worcester's best-preserved commercial block of the 1850s, a major period of building in downtown Worcester.
Four stories high, Each wall panel contains two windows at each storey, is framed by brick piers and rises to a corbelled head above which the roof line is trimmed with a modillioned wooden cornice. Wiédow lintels are made of cast iron, being pediments on consoles (2nd storey), flat hoods on consoles (3rd storey) and simple moulded hoods (4th storey)- Alterations to the facade include modern store fronts occupying the position of original store fronts and second storey display windows added to the first, fifth and sixth wall panels counting from south to north. Despite these alterations, Flagg's Building is the city's best example of its type and period, one which retains unique features in its wood, brick and cast-iron trim and especially in its fine cast-iron name plaque.
The building stands at the southeast corner of a large lot assembled by the property's present owner as much of this larger lot has been cleared and bears no relation to the significance of the Mechanics' Hall District, only the land on which the block stands (Lot #46, Assessors' Book 2, p-27) is Included in this nomination. Built at a cost of $50,000, Flagg's Building was owned by Augustus and Elisha Flagg, whose family had been associatod with Worcesteritrom the time of its first settlement in the 1670s. Flagg's Building was built "on the site of an extensive bakery establishment which was owned and operated by Enoch and Elisha Flagg" around 1800. On February 18, 1815 the bakery buildings were destroyed by fire, aiter which the use of the site is unknown until 1854.
Upon completion, Flagg's Building contained six store fronts at street level, oftices at the second storey and lodgings at the third and fourth stories. 5- Day Building, 300-310 Main Street: built 1091-1590 (Barker 2 Nourse, architects), 1090-1099 (Barker Nourse, architects), 1906 (George I. Tribe, architect) One of Worcester's largest nineteenth-century office blocks, the Day Building's major facade fronts on Main Street and contains elements of Romanesque Revival style architecture with finely carved trim of limestone. The Day Building was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places on September 13, 1978; Ior further information see nomination papers.
(cont.) Staple to Inventory form at bottom INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity: Worcester Form No: 116-CBD- 23 Property Name: Mechanicsi Hall Historic District Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 6. Former Worcester Five Cent Savings Bank, 316 Main Street; built 1091 (Stephen C- Earle, architect) A unique local example of Romanesque Revival style architecture, the former worcester Five Cent Savings Bank Is a five-storey block built of Jellow brick with limestone and fine yellow terracotta trim; this building was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places September 13, 1978. For further information see nomination gapers. 7.
Central Building, 322-332 Main Street: built 1925 (architeot unimown) Of classically derived design, the Gentral Bullding is & seven-storey steel-frame structure faced with dressed limestone. The building has a ymmetrical facade arranged about & central court, facing walnut street, although the building's most prominent elevation faces Main Street (east). The first two stories of the Main Street elevation contain metal store Ironts, embossed with a variety oi classical motiis, all in original condition. Upper floors are largely undecorated, except for a decorated stone course (top of second storej), & cast-iron frieze and copper corice with cresting at the root line. Among the last major office blocks built downtown before the Great Depression, the Central Building is a well- preserved example of its period. 8.
(Second) State Mutual Building (now the Commerce Building), 340 Main Street: built 1894-1897 (Peabody & Stearns of Boston, architects) Built as Worcester's first "skyscraper", the (Second) State Mutual Building is & nine-storey steel-frame structure, faced with dressed white marble. The building is of extremely ornate, Renaissance Revival design, rising from a one-storey base of rusticated piers to an intermediate two-storey stage of deeply draughted stonework. Upper floors are faced with dressed marble ashlar. The building's facade (east) is symmetrical with two store fronts on each side of the main entry. Above the entry is & Palladian window framed by pilasters and Corinthian columns, with a deep, coffered frame. Flanking this window are four arched windows set in similarly elaborate surrounds.
The fourth to eighth stories are dominated at their centers by three five-storey high arches. The ninth floor has paired arched windows. At the roof line is a cornice with modillions. The building's south elevation (facing Maple Street) bears similar decoration to that of the facade. Along the western (Maple Street) edge of this property is an eight-storey addition, built in the early twentieth century. Built of buft brick with limestone trim, this addition is largely undecorated and is connected to the 1897 building by bridges. Regarded as "the first modern office building in the city" at the time of its construction, the State Mutual Building was the second office building constructed for the State Mutual Life Assurance Company (the first building was at 240 Main Street - see Forn #116-CBD-13). company was founded in Worcester in 1844-1845 as the nation's fifth life insurance company.
Between 1872 and the late 1880s, the State Mutual (corto) Staple to Inventory form at bottom INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity : Worcester Form No: 116-CBD- 23 Property Name: Mecnanics Historic District Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 7) 8. Company shared 240 Main Street with the Merchants' and Farmers" Fire Insurance Company- , the growtih of state Tatual1s Cornesa 1ed Firsttone31ee gusitton of 240 Moissateot and later to the construction of 340 Main Street. Planned as a lavish corporate symbol, the (Second) state Mutual Building containea a Large interior court with a grand staircase and an arcaded loggia at the secona storey.
The building's top floor was occupied in 1897 by the Commonwealth Club and Brigham's Restaurant, while the store fronts were occupied by various tenants until 1907, Sfter which all were occupied by banks and investment counsellors. Excepting the alteration of the main entry and some of the store fronts, the building is intact. SIGNIFICANCE: The Mechanics' Hall District contains & group of Victorian Gothic and early twentieth century commercial buildings of exceptionally high architectural quality.
Most notable are Mechanics' Hall, a rare Italianate performance hall and conmercial block of 1855-1857; Flagg's entuoat notable aro Building, one of Worcester's last and best Italianate cormercial blocks; the Worcester Five Cent savings Bank, an unusual example of Romanesque Revival architecture, and the (Second) State Mutual Building, Worcester's first skyscraper and an ornate example of Renaissance Revival architecture. other buildings in the district, such as the Day Building, the Central Exchange Building and the Burnside Building are good examples of late Victorian conmercial architecture, retaining most of the original carved stonework and store fronts. Finally, the Central Building provides & good, unaltered example of late Classical Revival taste, one which dates from the last period in which downtown Worcester prospered.
The district's only intrusion is a vacant lot on the south side of Mechanics' Hall where a Victorian Gothic style block once stood. In addition to the high architectural quality of the individual buildings, the Mechanics' Hall District is one of the last sections of Main Street to retain the appearance of the dense row construction which once lined Main Street from Lincoln Square to Franklin Square, but which has been fragmented by demolitions in the last twenty years. Finally, the area's densely built character provides an appropriate setting for Mechanics' Hall, a building of regional importance which was designed to fit into a commercial district. Staple to Inventory form at bottom , INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Commmity: Worcester MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Property Name: Form No: 116-CBD- 23 Mechanics!
Hall Historic District Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Property List Property Assessor's Data Central Exchange Building Mechanics' Hall Burnside Building Flagg's Building Day Building Worcester Five Cent Savings Bank Central Building (Second) State Mutual Building Book 2, Lots p. 26 3, 4, 5A, 22 23,06ö sq. It. Book 2, 26 Lots 1 c 10A 16,830 sq. ft. Book 2, p. 26 Lot 17--14,673 sq. ft. Book 2, p. 21 Lot 46--approx. 12,000 sq. ft. Book 2, p. 27 Lots 34, 35 c: 36-- 32,659 sq. It. Book 2, p. 27 Lot 39--3,599 sq. ft. Book 3, Lot 22--13,562 It. Book 3, p. 32 Lot 21--51 ,022 sq. It. Present Owner Exchange Associates c/o Bowditch, Gowetz Lane 340 Main St. Worcester, Mass. 01608 Worcester County Mechanics' Association 321 Main St. Worcester, Mass. 01608 Burnside Realty Trust 339 Main St. vorcester, Mass. 01608 Beverly R. Gold Barry L.
Krock 6 Meadowbrook Rd. Worcester, Nass. 01609 Consumers Savings Bank 316 Main St. Worcester, Mass. 01606 same Walnut Realty Trust 101 Pleasant St. Worcester, Mass. 01609 340 and 390 Main Street Associates 340 Main Street Worcester, Mass. 01 608 Staple to Inventory form at bottom property Warceoter Mltple Resomee Dua(Partial Iaventany) MA (Warcester Working Number 8. 30.79.2060 TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos 383 +13 Maps 2,63 Exceltent-mulizee resaurce namenaton o teteentre cel, HISTORIAN al/ Acupt Lightne tn taget oleded t neel apposetion is ligh properties are lited an actached theets. coan m/n Bmces umments m 102-L-3 , "C -CBD - ", "7-E, and 130-CBD-50 and 14. Intgnty mnd /" bondanien wcd to be cbluese spiatally on endunduad ARCHEOLOGIST 116-CBD- 17 - Destroued, connot be listel.
102-L-3 - Perrod 5 descussed with WINh 3 EXCENTONS AL PROPERTTES APPEAN TO ME TO MET AK CRITERI AND THE FORMS ARE ADEQUATE. RESO BOTH TELHNLALLY AND TO DETERNINE SIGNIFCINCE, ACMOULH SAUE EE THE FORMS DLD NOT CONTAIN SIRONK SIATEMENS IF SIGNIFICANKE THE KESOURCE CATEGOMES WERE TUDROWSHLY DISCUSSED IN THE BODY OF TE NDRINAYON; THEREFORE SNGNIFICANKE MS ESTABLSHED. UBDS WERE NOT NELESSARY BELNSE OF THE SCHLE MAPSAND CLEANLY DELNEATES BOUNDARICS. HLRENDE WES MISSING DU SAE PROPERTTES BUT EEIS MOW INCLLDED AFTER BE 2/11/CORRELTORIS. THE ONLY PROPERTIES THAT I DO NDT RECOMMENA LISTING ARE /116-CBD-/3 - DESMOYCOBYFIRE MO - 1CBD-!! OTHER ACLEDT 2/28,88 HAER Inventory_ Review 130-CBD - 44 - PDES NOT RETAIN INTEGRITY FOR INDI VIDUKA CLCHBILITY v102-L-3 / DASAA WBOT CONVINKED ABOUT BOUNDANES REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BUT BELLEUE THEY DOUCA BE DK.
W AASEN DN ADDLTONA DOCUMLENTATTANN SUBMITTED - / DEFER JUDLEMENT. Recommard Listing all propatiendexcept these 3. Return 116-CBD-H to Stute (not etegible); o to durcuss futha tute.
DUBIE Retum 102-L-3 to state fer curedum; 35 BRANCH CHIEF 3/3/81 HOLD 130-CBD -44 for info from stute DUBIE Staff conferenu 3/5/30 - agrud to action as noted belor: fiot man ekegik s cesomofscel noteti te BD-I1) a el 130- CBD-44 (Ledin frit SEE .13/80 REPORT National Register Write-up - Send-back Entered Federal Register Entry 2.3.81 Re-submit KEEPER Soldhe 3/5/80 MAR 5 1980 United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service B BALDWI 1 AUG 1979 116-CBD-23 Mochene 322-332 "maun st, East- nath ele 80 AUG 1979 YS KNOX DRESS SHOP - SPORTS TAVERN berteleg Besse 116 CBD-23 282-294 main Mechenies Hall St- Wurtester East eluata 30 AUG 1979 MAY 3 0 AUG 1979 116-CBD-23 301-315 Main St mechmies Hall nerestoMnAMa north+west eleu. 0 AUG 1979 116-CBD-23 Hall St- 340 na South+cast elevatimns 116-CBD-23 321 Man St. nochanios Hall.
vestelevatim Werester MalLAMa 3 0 AUG 1979 NO LEFT TURN ON IALK BARNARDS FALLMAN PORTRAITS CAMERAS Archer Kent DISCOUNT HEALTH & BEAUTY AIDS on optick an JUN 1979 restig: Prints by Berkey 116.CBA-23 aniss Halk 335-343 maunft Worcesto MRAMa West elevation 30 AUG 1979 ISAVINGS BANK CONSUMERS LOANS IRYS JAN 1978 116- CBD-23 Mechenos 300 - 310 main St werasto MRA, Ma East eluvations by Berkey COI SAVINGS BANK by Berkey Presuge r Incs AUG 1979 Mechanes llel 116-CBD- 316 Main St. south +east elevations 8L6T NV 8261 JAN 1978 80 AUG 1979 116-CBD-23 322-332 MamSt Mocha,es Gall north elev WerestoM/A, Ma JAN 19" Prestige Prints by Berkey- Berkey Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000304