BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
- FORM B - BUILDING rel no 5cc00579 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - - 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number Expos. 25 Roll 4. Map. Draw sketch of building location in relation to-nearest cross streets and other buildings. Indicate north. In Area no. Form no. 116-L-14 1. Town Worcester Address 65 Elm Street Name_ Charles Allen House Present use offices J. & R. Associates Present owner 93 Whitney Street Northboro, Ma. 01532 3. Description: Date 1870 Source Albert Waite Papers 14, Style Second Empire Architect unknown Exterior wall fabric clapboard Outbuildings (describe) none Other features convex curved mansard roof, quoins, modillioned cornice, central pavilion with pediment, capped window frames Altered Colonial Revival Date 1915 details added Moved -no Date UTM: 5.
Lot size: Assessors' Book 3, p.34, lot 1 14/268300/4682880 12,186 sq. ft. One acre or less Over one acre Approximate frontage 1001 Approximate distance of building from street 20' 6. Recorded by_ W. & M. Seaman ed. B.R. Pfeiffer Organization Worc. Heritage Pres. Soc. Date February 1978. (over) 37M-7-77 7. Original owner (if known) Charles Allen's heirs Original use residence Subsequent uses (if any) and dates offices (mid-20th.century) 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) The Charles Allen House is a unique example of Second Empire architecture, con- sisting of a square-plan main house with an ell centered on its rear (north) wall. The house's facade (south) contains a slightly projecting central pavilion which is trimmed with quoins and rises to a modillioned cornice and low pediment. Flanking the pavilion at both stories are paired windows set in a single capped frame. .The roof of the house's main block is a convexly curved mansard with original hexagonal pattern slates, panelled railing and incised decoration on its trim. In 1915, Colonial Revival style details (fanlighted main entry, Palladian window in central pavilion, Tuscan entry porch and terrace balustrade) were added to the house along with a one-storey library addition on the building's east wall.
The house remains unaltered since these additions were carried out. The Allen House is the second building to occupy this lot; the first was a side- hall Greek Revival style house which was built by former Governor Levi Lincoln and sold to Charles Allen in 1854. Having been moved to make way for the present struc- ture, this first house now stands at #39 West Street (See Area Form #116-L, Lincoln Estate - Elm Park District). Charles Allen (1797-ca.1869)was a Worcester native who withdrew from Yale University to study law with Samuel Burnside of Worcester. In 1818 Allen was admitted to the bar and from 1818 to 1824 practiced law in New Braintree, Mass. In 1824 Allen practiced law in Worcester with John Davis (later a governor of Massachusetts). After 1831 Allen carried on a private practice and pursued an interest in politics.
In 1829, 1833 and 1834 Allen was elected repre- sentative from Worcester to the Massachusetts General Court; in 1835, 1836 and 1855-1857 Allen served as a state senator. Between 1842 and 1844 Allen was a local judge; in 1860 he was appointed Chief Justice of the newly organized Su- perior Court of Massachusetts and later was offered a seat in the United States 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, (cont.) early maps, etc.) City Atlases and directories Albert Waite Papers Worcester Historical Society. Biographical file (Allen and Rice obits). Lincoln, W. History of Worcester, pp. 209 and 343 (Allen). INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity: Worcester Property Name: Charles Allen House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below.
Form No: 116-L-14 9. Supreme Court, which he refused. Allen also served as a United States Represen- tative in 1849 and 1853 and was a founder of the national Republican Party in the mid-1850s. It is possible that Charles Allen had considered building this house prior to his death and that his heirs merely carried out existing plans. After its completion in 1870, #65 Elm Street was occupied by Charles Allen, Jr., Henry and Josephine (Allen) Rice and Katherine Allen. The only son of Charles Allen, Sr., Charles Allen, Jr., was a real estate agent and died at the age of 36 years in 1873. Henry Rice, the senior Allen's son-in-law, was a graduate of Brown University who came to Worcester around 1850 to study law with the Hon. Peter Bacon and Ira Barton. In 1852, Rice started his own law office.
In 1858 and 1861, Rice served on the city's Common Council, in 1859 and 1860 he served as a Worcester representative to the Massachusetts General Court and in 1879 and 1880, Rice was After Rice's death in 1891, the house was occupied by his widow until her death in 1894 and by Katherine Allen until her death in 1913. In 1915 the house was purchased by Ira Barton who made alterations and built an addition, described above. Staple to Inventory form at bottom Poperty Warceoter Mltple Resoure Ava (Pastial Laventany) State MA (Warcester Horking Number8. : 30.79.2069 TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos 383 +13 Maps 2, 63 e r ce, ISwaeny Call /Acapt m 102-L-3, "1C -CBD-", "1-E, 44. Integnty and /or bondaries need to be addlesed speatially on endurdual DUBIE ARCHEOLOGIST trms. 116-CBD- - Destroved, connot be listed.
- Period 5 descussed with WITH 3 EXCERTONS AL PROPERTIES APPEAN TO ME TO MEET AK CRITERIN AND THE FORMS ARE ADEQUATE RED BOTH TECHNLALLY AND TO DETERMINE SICNIFICANCER ACMOLELI SOME OF THE FORME DID NOT CONTAN STRONK SIATEMENS IF SIGNIFICANCE THE KSSOURCE CATEDONICS WERE THDROWGHLY DISCUSSED IN THE BODY OF THE MDRUNATION; OTHER ACLEDT 2/28/88 THEREFBRE SIGNIFICANCE MAS ESTABLSHED. UBDS WERE NOT NELESSARY BELNSE OF MHE SCHLE MAPSAND CIEANLY DELNEATED BOUNDANICS. AURENDE WAS AIESTNY DIU SANLE PROPENTTES BUT BIS MOW INCLIDEN AFTER BHE 2/11/ CORRELTORIS. HAER THE ONLY PROPENTIES TIAT I DO NOT RECOMMEND LISTING ARE ~ 116-CBD-13- DESAOYCO BY FIRE Mo - 1o CBD- 11 Inventory - Review 130-CB0-44- PDES NOT RETSIN INTEGRITY FOR INDI UIDUKB ELGIBILITY v102-2-3100154 SLMEST CONVINCER ABOUT BOUNDANES REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BUT BEHIEVE MEY DOUCH BE OK.
M BASEN Recommal ON ADDITTONA DOCUMLENTATON SUBMITTED - / DEFER JUDLEMENT. Listing all propaties sezcept these 3. Return 116-CBD-11 to Stute (not etegibte); Retum 102-L-3 to State fur cumectem; "ato derauss futia) w/NR +State. DUBIE BRANCH CHIEF 3/3/81 HOLD 130-CBD -44 for info from stute DOBLE Staff conferenu 3/5/80 -agued to actioi as pusted belrw: 16-CBD-11 (officcal notfirati of also 2mnt ri sfal SEE 213/80 REPa Entered KEEPER soldha 3/5/80 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 2.3.81 Send-back Re-submit MAR 5 1980 United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service ELMSI by Bei Prestige JUN 1 Allen, Charles, Iteuse ucrosto MRA, Ma 3 0 AUG 1979 116-1-14 65 Elm St. West + south elevations Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000304