BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING nu no sccccsel MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston In Area no. Form no. 116-L-32 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number -Roll 29- - $. Map. Draw sketch of building location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings. Indicate north. " 1. Town Worcester Address 18-20 West Street Name Present use residential Merrill Double House David Limric Present owner 40 Grove Street Wellesley, Ma. 02181 3. Description: Date ca.
1879 Source city atlases & directories Style Victorian Gothic Architect unknown Exterior wall fabric brick Outbuildings (describe) none Other features symmetrical plan, decorated window lintels and other trim of cast concrete, porch columns with foliate capitals, three storey high bay windows with jurkin-head roofs, original "siate work Altered no Date Moved no- Date Assessora' Book 3, p. 27. 19/268230/4682800 UTM: 5. Lot size: Lot 327,578 sq. It. One acre or less _ Over one acre Approximate frontage61' Approximate distance of building from street 10' C. DeMallie 6. Recorded by ed. B.Re Pfeiffer Organization worc. Heritage Pres. Soc. Date February 1978 (over) M-7-77 7. Original owner (if known)_ Enoch Merrill, heirs Original use double residence Subsequent uses (if any) and dates_same 8.
Themes (check as many as applicable) Aboriginal Agricultural Architectural The Arts Commerce Communication Community development Conservation Education Exploration/ settlement Industry Military Political 9. Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above) Recreation Religion Science/ invention Social/ humanitarian Transportation In unaltered condition, the Merrill Double House is an excellent local example of Victorian Gothic architecture. The house is two and one-half stories high, of brick ngns racade (east) arranred entreert tsbouteterraad by columns with stylized foliate capitals, bay windows flanking the entries, steep gables with barge boards and jurkin-head dormers. On both side elevations (north and south) are rectangular plan bays which rise to a wood-sheathed third storey and steeply pitched roofs with jurkin-head gables.
An extremely unusual detail of the house is its "cast-stone" trim which consists of window lintels, sills anc Loundation facings. Although Worcester manufacturers are known to have been makine "cast-stone" (concrete) trim in the 1870s, the Merrill Hoüse is the earliest building with concrete trim The house was first occupied in 1879 by William A. Denholm (#18), a dry-goods merchant, who founded the Boston Store in 1879, a business which later became the city's largest department store. In 1881, $20 West Street was occupied by Frederick Clark, a provisioner. #18-20 West Street was apparently built as an investment by the heirs of Enoch Merrill, a variety-store owner who had built his own home on this site in the 1840s. In plan and detail the Merrill Double House resembles several.
other double houses (of frame construction - now altered)built on the West Side during the early 1880s, although no architect has yet been identified 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) City atlases and directories property Warceoter Meltple Resonce Aua KPartial Saventany) MA (Warcester Working Number8. 30.79.2069 TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos 383. -+13 Maps 2, 63 Worccote. Erueleet mulse eegure aneten Te entie cl CuaA Soth the general descryteon al/ Acupt undividual inventon sheet are sspficat opt i Lightne mstlud a reasons 10.30-79 Here at this teme (1.g.3.deckera) dewwARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAT apposition is high. Wre problemo wah some propertes are s lsted an actached sheets. conan m/h Bmees umments m 102-L-3 77.
Integity and /" bomdanies nech to be addenee "G -CBD - ", "7-E, and 130-CBD-50 and speafually on endurdual ARCHEOLOGIST 130 -CBD-44 - 1 am nst c 102-L-3 - Penod n descussed with WINH 3 EXCENTONS AU PROPERTICS APPEAN TO ME TO MEET AK CRITERIA AND THE FORUS ARE ADEQUATE. REO BOTH TECHNILALL AND TO PETERMINE SICNIFCANCE, ACMOUI SAUE EE PHE FORMS DID NOE CONTAN SIRONG SIATEMENS IF SIGNIFICANKE THE KESOURCE CATEDONIES WERE TROROWHLY DICUSSED IN THE BODY OF MHE NONINAION; OTHER 2/28/88 THEREFBRE SNGNIFICANKE WAS ESTABLSHED. UBDS WERE NOT NELESSARY BELNSE O MYE SCHE MAPSAND CLESALY DELNEATES BOUNDAMCS . HURENDE WES AIISING HAER DU SME PROPEATTES BUT BEIS NOW INCHIDED AFTER BE 2/11/ CORRELTONS. THE ONLY PROPERTIES THET I DO NOT RECOMMENR LISTINA ARE - 116-CBD-13 - DESNOYCOBYFIRE MO - 1OCBD-!! Inventory- Review 130-CBO -44 - DOCS.
NOT RETSIN INTEGRITY FOR INDI VDUKBELGIBILITY v102-L-3 WGOT CONVINLED ABOUT BOUNDANES REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BUT BELEUE THEY DOUCD BE OK. #AASED ON ADDITONAL DOCULENTATON SUBMUTTED - / DEFER JUDLEMENT. Recommel Listing all properties nexcept these 3. Retum 116-CBD-I$ to Stute (not elegeble); o to derouss futta " tate. DUBIE Retum 102 -L-3 to State fer cumectum; 3159 BRANCH CHIEF 3/3/81 HOLD 130-CBD -44 for info from stute DUBLE Staff conferenu 3/5/80 - agrud to action as zisted beloro: - 16-CBo -1 official notfiihi Teeo ,stete fr.
nmitfin sföte) 313/80 REPORT National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry Send-back Entered 2.3.81 Re-submit KEEPER Soldha 3/5/80 MAR 5 1980 United States Department of the Interior - Heritaqe Conservation and Recreation Service Do.bio Merill Daubie Morcesto MRA M1 Kesuag Kg Resueg sjuld ab JAN 1978 JAN 197 -3 0 AUG 1979 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000304