BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
rel no 800006/8 FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston In Area no. Form no. 131-G - . 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. SHREWSBURY EAST RAILROND BED (over) , 1. Town Worcester Address 12 East Worcester Street East Worcester Schoolhouse Name & Norcross Bros. Factory Present use commercial (Trade Center 1 Present owner Building) Howard Realty Co. 12 East Worcester St. 3. Description: Date 1863, 1876, ca. 1881, ca. 1893 Source Secondary sources (see Biblio.
Style utilitarian brick construction Elbridge Boyden & Son Architect (Section #1 on Map) Exterior wall fabric brick Outbuildings Other features Section #1-three story height with hip-on-hip roof, granite sills and lintels; other sections sandstone trim, corbelled cornice see dates Altered additions Date above Moved no Date 5. Lot size: Assessors' Book,4, p. 1 Lot 15--34,002 sq. One acre or less It.. Over one acre '2751 Approximatefrontage Approximate distance of building from street 15' 6. Recorded by S. Lee, ed. B. R. Pfeifler Organization Worc. Heritage Pres. Soc. Date November 1977 UTM 19/269840/4682500' 4-7-77 7. Original owner (if known) City ef worcester (1863); Norcross Bros. Original use Grammar school; additions designed fer manufacturing Subsequent uses (if any) and dates_ commercial (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 X X Recreation Religion Science/ invention Social/ humanitarian Transportation 9. Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above) #10 East Worcester Street is a three-storey brick building, built in three sections between 1863 and 1893. The building's earliest portion (section #1 on map) is one of Worcester's oldest remaining schoolhouses. Built in 1863 on the site of the Pine Meadow Burial Ground (from which the last graves were removed in 1876) East Worcester Grammar School until 1893 when it was sold to the 1unt871803 the structure was known as the Norcross Brothers. The schoolhouse, designed by Elbridge Boyden & Son and built by H.W.
Eddy and Moses Taft at a cost of $11,706.25, was apparently modelled after the Salem Street Schoolhouse (now demolished) which was then considered to be the best school building in the city. In its present form the former East Worcester Schoolhouse has a rectangular Iloor plan, pairea entries on its north and south elevations, rock-laced granite window trim and a hip-on-hip roof. Around 1880-1881 the Norcross Brothers, nationally famous builders who were known for their work with Henry Hobson Richardson, bought land a ajoining the tast worcester Schoolhouse and built a planing mill (see #2 on map).
By 1893 the Norcross Erothers had bought the school- house from the city, converted it to offices and built extensive additions (see #3 on map) connecting the schoolhouse and planing These additions and the planing mill are built of conmon brick, three stories high with flat roofs, corbelled cornices and rock-faced sandstone trim. It was in this factory that the Norcorsses their own doors, window-sash and finishing... doing the same in such an economical manner that they became the despair of other firms doing 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, (cont'd.) early maps, etc.) 10, 032. 1986, 95: 116. 19. 31, 138 å 144; #29, Jan 1875 Jan. 1882, p. 100. worcester negaristory of Worcester and Its Feorle, VO1. IV, PP. Charles. 635-636 (0.W. Worcross, biography; Iist of buildings built by Norcposs Brothers.). Rice, f.
Warcester of 1898, pp. 695-703 (list of buildings conetructed Washburrr fharizfoghers nalstrial Worcester, p. 286. -"INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston 2. Community : Worcester Form No: 131-G East Worc. School- Pr8RertY&Naprcross Bros. Fectory Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 9. the same line of work." The firm was incorporated in 1902 and remained in business at this location until 1918. Principals in the company were James A. Norcorss (1831-1903) who managed the business's financial affairs, and Orlando W. Norcross (1839-1920) who was more active in the construction part of the busiress. For a more detailed account of the firm's influential position in American architecture, see"O.W.
Norcross, Richardson's 'Master Builder': A Preliminary Report" in The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, vol. XXXII, no. 2, May 1973, pp. 104-113. Staple to Inventory form at bottom Property Warceoter Meltple Resourse Ara (Pastial Iauentary) State MA (Warcester Working Number8. 30.79.2060 TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos 383 +13 Maps 2,63 agto go rae eatie ce, Hsw aan Cal /Acapt coun wth Bmiés ummento "16 - CBD -", "1-E, 14. Integnty and /or bondaries need to 102-4-3, be addiessed speotially on induidual and 130-CBD-50 and tms. DIBIE ARCHEOLOGIST - Period 5 descussed with WITH 3 EXCERTIONS AL PROPERTIES APPEAR TO ME TO MEET HE CRITERIA AND THE FORMS ARE ADEQUATE REA BOTH TECHNICALLY AND TO DETERMINE SIENIFCANCE.
ACMOUELI SAME OF TE FORME DID NOT CONTAN SIRONK SIATEMENS IF SIGNIFICANCE THE KSSOURCE CHTEGONES WERE TRDROUGHLY DICUSIED IN THE BODY OF MHE NDRINATION; THEREFBRE SIGNIFICANCE WAS ESTABLSHED. HBDS WERE NOT NELESSARI BELASE D THE SCAE MAPSAND CLEARLY DELNEATES BOUNDARIES. ALRENDE WAS MLIISING S PE B E APTER E 2/1I/ CORRETONS. THE ONLY PROPERTIES THEST | DO NOT RECOMMEND LISTING ARE - 116-CBD-13 - DESAOYCO BY FIRE no- lCBD-!! OTHER 2/28,88 HAER Inventory - Review 130-CB0-44- DOES. NOT RETAN INTEGRITY FOR INDI VIDUKB ELGIBILITY v102-2-3 IDSPREOT CONVINLED ABOUT BOUNDANES REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BUT BELLEWE THEY SOUCH BE OK. - BASEN Recommad ON ADDITTONAL DOCUMLENTATTON SUBMITTED - / DETER JUDGEMENT. Listing all propenties nexcept these 3. Return 116-CBD-11 to Stute (not etigeble); 7 a to derouss futha W/NR +state.
DUBIE Retum 102-L-3 to State for curectum; 3/5 & BRANCH CHIEF 3/3/81 HOLD 130-CBD -44 for info from stute DUBIE Staff conferenu 3/5/30 -agued to action as soted beloro: KEEPER wo sfate) Entered Soldhe 315/80 MAR 5 1980 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 2.3.81 Re-submit United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service BURNHAM HYDRONICS VE RINENG FOD ELJER AMERICAN PLUMBING & HEATING SUPPLY CO. Shepard SIGNS 1 SIGNS TRADE CENTER LDo. CAUTION SLOW DOWN MID-STATE OXYGEN INC. BELANO SUPPUIES INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES SAFETY EI CO. 131-G 0 AUC 12 E Woreester St E.IcreesterSohol-Noreress 197g Morth twest Foutory elevations wereste mez Ma PLUMBING & HEATING SUPPLY CO. SIGNS MBILG E HEATL C-SUPPLY CU. Shepard SIGNS AUTO GLASS TA NET EGE1 AMERICAN PLUMBING SHEATING SUPPLY CO ENTER ATHILL ST.
131- C E, Mercester schecl~ Noreross Frteri 30 AUG 1979 12 EWorcester St. Mererster MRA Ma nurthawesteleu. Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000304