BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING reef no 90000636 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office oi the Secretary, State House, Boston - - - - - - In Area no. Form no. 101-E 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. 1. Town Worcester Address 23 Trowbridge Road William Forbes House Name Present use residence Present owner margaret Erskine 495 Richards Ave. Paxton, Mass. 01612 3. Description: Date 1898 - ..Source Style Architect atlases and directories neo-Tudor Barker ü Nourse Exterior wall fabric stucco and wood Outbuildings (describe) garage Other features decorative half-timberi: paired gables, gabled entry porch, bay windows, stone terrace mid-20th Altered storm windows Date century Moved no Date UTM: Assessors! Book 17 19268180/4683630 5.
Lot size: Tots 29,38,39,40A 58,033 sq.it. One acre or less Over one acre Approximate frontage 190' X Approximate distance of building from street 30' C. Charalambides, E. 6. Recorded by Kuniholm ed. B.R. Preitler Organization_Wiorc. ieritage Pres. Soc Date January 1978 (over) Arr AM 7. Original owner (if known) Original use William Trowbridge Forbes residence Subsequent uses (if any) and dates same 8. Themes (check asmany 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) An exceptional local example of neo-Tudor architecture, the William Forbes House is a two and one-half storey structure of asynmetrical plan.
Principal leatures of the house's exterior are its elaborate (decorative) half-tinbering(south elevation). steeply pitched gables, diamond-pane sashni3d storey) and Ihe house remains in nearly original condition and is among the most elaborate designs produced by the local architectural firm of Barker & Nourse. According to local tradition the Forbes House was built to replace a concrete house which had been designed ' auring the Civil War by Elbridge Boyden for Villian I. Merrifield, an important local builder and real estate developer; this earlier house was abandoned for its inability to be adapted to modern plumbing, heating and electrical wiring. The house was originally occuped by William forbes, a Judge of probate. Forbes was a native of Westborough who, after spending several years in constantinople, Turkey, returned to Worcester, where he was admitted to the bar in 1877.
Between 1875 and 1879 Forbes was a justice of the first District Court of Eastern Worcester. Between 1881 and 1822 Forbes was a stete rerted ntatiee ad betr1en , 86 gnd 2 07 liitian se derrirsola. Active in many local organizations, Harriette Forbes is known locally as the author of a history of the town of Westborough ("The Hundredth Town") and for her brief biography of Elias Carter, a Worcester architect oi the late 1820s-1840s. She was an avid student of architecture, particularly interested in researching and photographing early Worcester houses. In addition, Harriette forbes was a founder of the Worcester Equal Franchise (cont.) 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) Worcester Historical Society. Biographical file (W.I. H. and E. Forbes) Erskine, M. Esther forbes, Worcester Bicentennial Corission, 1976. Nutt, C.
History of Worcestes, vol. I, p.500; vol. IV, pp. 773-774 H. Forbes) INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : Worcester Form No: 101-F Property Name: William Forbes Hous e Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Club, a group organized at a meeting in the Forbes House in 1912. The was active locally in building support for women's suffrage. hater occupant of the house was Esther forbes, daughter of William and Harriette Forbes, who was the author of Jonnny Iremain, Paut ievere and the World He Lived In, and other novels, short stories and essays. Staple to Inventory form at bottom property Warceoter Multple Resourse Area (Pasteal Iaventary) State MA (Warcester working Number8.
30.79.2060 TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos 383 +13 Maps 2, 63 Exultent multyle ressarce nameratin fo tat entire cel, HISTORIAN of Worceofe. Both the general descry tios Cael /Acupt Lightne properties are coun wi/h Bmiés ummento "G-CBD-", "1)-E, and 130-CBD-50 and 44. Integnty and /or bomdaries need to tms. DIBIE 102-1-3, be adttressed speatcully on induidical ARCHEOLOGIST -CBD- 44 - t coot descussed with WINH 3 EXCENTONS AL PROPERTTES APPEAN TO ME TO MEET HK CRITERIA AND THE FORMS ARE ADEQUATE RED BOTH TECHNILALLY AND TO DETERMINE SIGNIFCANCER ACMOLEH SAME OF TE FORMS DID NOT CONTAN SMRONG SIATEMENS IF SIGNIFICANKE THE KSSOURCE CATEGONES WERE TOROUGHLY DISCUSSED IN THE BODY OF MHE NDRINATION; THEREFBRE SIGNIFICANCE MAS ESTABLiSHED. VBDS WERE NOT NELESSARY BELASE OF MHE SCHLE MAPSAND CLEANLY DELNEATED BOUNDANCS.
HURENDE WHS MSSING DIU SAMCE PROPEATIES BUT EIS MOW INCLIDEN AFTER THE 2/11/ CORRELRORiS. THE ONLY PROPENTIES THEE I DO NOT RECOMMEND LISTINA ARE / 116-CBD-/3 - DESAOYCO BY FIRE Mo - 16CBD-!! 2/23,88 HAER Inventory- Review 130-CB0-44- POES NOT RETSUN INTELRITY FOR INDI WDUHB ELGIBILITY v102-L-3 / DozSA WBOT CONVINCER ABOUT BOUNDANES REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BUT BELLEUE MEY BOUCD BE OK. -F BASED Recommel DON ADDITONAL DOCUMENTATON SUBMITTED - I DEFER JUDGEMENT. Listinen all propertres sexcept these 3. Return 116-CBD-1$ to Stute (not etegeble); a to durouss futhe +stute. DUBIE Retur 102-L-3 to State fer comecem; 3151 * BRANCH CHIEF 3/3/8 HOLD 130-CBD -44 for info from stute DUBIE Staff conferenu 3/5/80 -agued to actioi as putel belr: 16-CBD-11 (officcal notfcatim o7 to state fr revravin KEEPER Soldhe.
3/5/80 MAR 5 1980 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 2.3.81 Send-back Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior - Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Farbes, W.llian, Htouse 101-E SWerSter MRA, Ma 23 irowbridge West rsouth eler 8 0 AUG 1979 101 - E Ferbos, Willien leese 23 Trawbridge Rd. Woregto MRA Ma Narth elevatian AUG 1979 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000304 - PARIS 'FLETCHER SUMNER B. TILTON ROBERT J. WHIPPLE LINWOOD M. ERSKINE, JR GEORGE AVERY WHITE, JR PHILIP L. BERKELEY HENRY C. HORNER FLETCHER, TILTON & WHIPPLE, P.C. COUNSELORS AT LAW THE GUARANTY BUILDING 370 MAIN STREET - ROOM 1250 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS 01608 TELEPHONE (617) 798-8621 FORMERLY UNE, FLETCHER & WHIPPI LTON, ERSKINE & BERKELI ned AUG I 3 1979 ROBERT R. KIMBALL DOUGLAS Q.
MEYSTRE WARNER S. FLETCHER ROBERT F. DORE, JR. CHRISTOPHER W. PARKER JAMES M. BURGOYNE July 30, 1979 Director, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Department of the Interior Washington, DC 02202 Dear Sir: By this letter I am requesting your assistance in resol- ving a matter of some concern to me which involves your department. In April 1979, my wife received a letter from the Massa- chusetts Historical Commission advising her that property owned by my wife at 23 Trowbridge Road, Worcester, Massachusetts was being considered for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places- Prior to receiving this form letter, in March, we had become aware of the potential nomination since a photographer came on our premises without notice to us or permission from us to photograph the house.
Upon my inquiry to the Worcester Heritage Preservation Society, I was advised that the Society had not nominated our property. However, despite this assurance, I received the notice of April saying that the property was under consideration. Since the April notice I have corresponded with the Worcester Heritage Preservation Society and the Massachusetts Historical Commission in an effort to keep the property off the National Register. I have been repeatedly assured that listing is advantageous and that it involves no restriction on the use of the property. However, my wife and I feel that listing constitutes an unwarranted invasion of our privacy. Further, and certainly more germane, we feel that based on the criteria for listing property as established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, our property does not even qualify for listing.
After some considerable effort on my part, I have obtained a copy of the report on our property which was prepared in connection with the National Register nomination. The report contains numerous inaccuracies, misstatements and blatant errors. In one instance, the report cites a marriage date of one of my ancestors which falsely illegitimatizes two members of the family. Other misstatements are too lengthy to enumerate here. FLETCHER, TILTON & WHIPPLE - 2 - July 39, 1979 Director, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation My wife and I request that you exercise the authority vested in you to direct that our property be removed from consider- ation for the National Register. We are appealing directly to you because we have never been given the opportunity to voice our objection at the local and state level and our written objections have gone largely ignored.
While I have learned that a statewide meeting was held at the Charlestown Navy Yard Officer's Club at which I could have commented on the historical significance of the property, I was given no notice of this meeting, nor did I see any published in the local newspapers. In the event that you choose not to follow the course of action outlined above, I would at least request that you conduct a formal determination under 36 CFR Sec. 63.4 (c)- I am confident aornan deternunats andt a cura not un nation of isttng. that site analysis and accurate examination of the records will that the property does not qualify for listing. I will await your response in this matter. Sincerely yours, Iiwoed M. Frskine. Je. Linwood M. Erskine, Jr. LME,Jr:jh TE MATUNA NG 1 4 1979i Putes )ATE REC'D INDIVIDUAL RESPONSE (ATIA CHED) INF3M TIVE MATCAAL S.R5 TLLETH.
NE C:LL (ATTACHED) DATE /CiLN TAKEN _ INITIALS TÉLEPHONE REPORT OFFICE OF ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROVECT: Worcester Mult. Resource Noa, Masa. To/FRon: Candy genkine DATE: 8-17-79 ADDRESS: hass. SAPO's offuce PHONE: STAFF MEMBER: Shoffeldl DIVISION: NR REPORT: Properties owners, including Mr. Erskine, were notified by Mass. Histoirical Comn. on April 9, 1979, and nomination was approved by Review Board June 13, 1979. Mr. property is significant within district. She will be pleased to talk to him about any errors in the nomination documentation, although she doubts there are any due to the thoroughness with which State compiled information. State Review Board members even toured city with staff. Nomination will be hand delivered by SHPO next week. Mr.
Erskine is upset because his house was broken into, and he believes that all the publicity resulting from nomination is responsible. Skeffull 8-21-29 Shull 8.21-29 Humiztr9 PENDing 661 AUG 27 1979 1z. Limzood M. Ezalcine, Jz. Fletcher, Illton & Ildpple, P.C. Counseloze at Law The Guaranty Bullding 370 Mata Stzeet, Room 1250 Tozcester, 1assachusetto 06108 Doax 1ir. Irsiine: Thank you for your letter of July 30, 1979, concerning your property Located at 23 Sroubridge Road, Worcenter, Massachusetts, part of the City of lorcester Multiple Besouroer grea nomtnation to the llational Reglster of Historic Placen. The nontnation wos approved bythe lassachusetto State Raview Board on June 13, 1979, IE wrl11 soon be forvarded to the lational Regiater by the State Ilistorie Presezvation Officer, Ms.
Patrieia Weslouslci, Ixecutive Dtrectos,Massachusette Itatorical Connission, 294 Washington Street, Boston, lassachusetts 02108. I.Isting In the Iational Regtoter Is Federalrecognition that a property possesses cultural value and is vorthy of preservation. doos not mean that the Fedezal Goveronent vishes to aequize the propenty or place zestrictive covenants on the lands. Ile lave contacted 1is. Candice Jenldine of the Massachusetta Ilistorical Conntasion, and she has inforned us that the Cormieston considers your property to be a contributing part of the nontnation. She also Inforned us that the Cormission's reconds indicate that you wore anong the property ormers notlfied by the Scate Historie Preservation Officer on Apri19, 1979, of the pending.nominat.ton.
In accordance with the enclosed Tederal regulations, 36 CIl part 60, after the City of Worcester Multiple Resource Area nonination has been received by the lational Reglater,property oners wi11 again be notifled and given an opportunity to comment on the nomination. Although a property ouez's consent is not reguized to Itst a property, comments vil1 be considered during the revlew of the nomination by the Macional Regtater staft. 2 If there are errozs of fact in the nomination we suggeat you contact the Massachusetts Ilistorical Cornission directly. Ms. Jenleins has assured us that the Comniesion wi11 be pleased to hear from you on this matter.
Concerning your reference to 36 CFR 63.4(c), the Keeper of the NationalRegister ordinarily makes fomaldeterminations of eliglbility for 1fsting in the Nacional Regiater only when properties may be advezsely affected by pzojects in which there is Federal Intolvenent. If your property is ineluded in a nondnation submitted by the State, the NacionalRegister vi11 nalce a deciaion concerning its 1isting in accord with the nontnation procedures, 36 CFR 60. If the City of Worcester Iuleiple Resource Area is accepted for listing in the Mational Register, notice v111 be given in the "Federal Register." IE additional infomation is needed to complete the evaluation, or 1E it ie determined that the property does not neet the National Begister eriterta for evaluation, the noninatton vll1 be retumed to the State. Il ve can be of further asststance to you, please let us lnow. Sincerely, /sgd./ Jerry I.
Rogers Jerzy Rogere Chief, Office of Archeology and Hllstoric Preservation cc: Mrs. Patricia I. Weslowski Executive Director Massachusetts Ilistorical Conmission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 bec: Director's Reading File FHR: S Sheffield:ggk:343-6401:8/21/79 /chib, OAHP BASIC FILE RETAINED IN NR - PARIS FLETCHER SUMNER B. TILTON ROBERT J. WHIPPLE LINWOOD M. ERSKINE, JR GEORGE AVERY WHITE, JR. PHILIP L. BERKELEY HENRY C. HORNER JOHN E. HODGSON SUMNER B. TILTON, JR. PHILLIPS S. DAVIS ROBERT R. KIMBALL DOUGLAS Q. MEYSTRE WARNER S. FLETCHER ROBERT F. DORE, JR. CHRISTOPHER W. PARKER JAMES M. BURGOYNE FLETCHER, TILTON & WHIPPLE, P.C. COUNSELORS AT LAW THE GUARANTY BUILDING 370 MAIN STREET - ROOM 1250 WORCESTER.
MASSACHUSETTS 01608 TELEPHONE (617) 798-8621 September 6, 1979 FORMERLY JUNE, FLETCHER & WHIPPLE TILTON, ERSKINE & BERKELEY Jerry Rogers, Chief Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation Heritage Conservation & Recreation Service United States Department of the Interior Washington, D. C. 20240 Dear Mr. Rogers: Re: 661 I thank you for your letter of August 27, 1979 relative to the real estate at 23 Trowbridge Road, Worcester, Massachusetts which my wife and I do not wish to have listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In your letter you refer to the City of Worcester Multiple Resource Area. My wife and I certainly have no objection to the area of the City of Worcester being listed in the Register of Historic Places. Our objection is to listing the property at 23 Trowbridge Road individually because we do not feel that it meets the criteria for listing.
You are correct that we were informed last spring that the house at 23 Trowbridge Road was proposed for nomination and since that time have written a number of letters objecting to the oroposal both at the local level and the State level. My wife and I did attend the meeting held in Worcester at which repre- sentatives of the Massachusetts Historical Commission were present in an effort to find out how we could keep the property from being listed. When we pointed out that properties that have achieved significance within the past 50 years shall not be considered eligible, we were told that the State authorities, in effect, disregarded the 50 year period and put anything they wanted on the list on the basis of exceptional importance. I am writing to Ms.
Jenkins of the Massachusetts Historical Commission asking her to specifically define what the State Historical Commission feels makes the property at 23 Trow- bridge Road to be of exceptional importance. However, I do not plan to point out to her the errors in the form B report as to the historical significance of the house until I find out from her what ones she feels make the property of exceptional impor- tance. Knowing how the staff of the Historical Commission FLETCHER, TILton & WHIPPLE Jerry Rogers, Chief -2- September 6, 1979 reacted when we attended the meeting here in Worcester, I feel ertain that, il 1 pint ut the errors in the report to begir vith, the staff may merely choose all of the other parts of the report as being what makes the property of exceptional importance.
In other words, I feel that the State Commission staff does not really care whether it is following rules and regulations and is insistent on keeping the house on the list because its actions have been questioned. In view of the inaccuracies in the report on 23 Trow- bridge Road, I think that all of the Worcester area nominations should be very closely scrutinized to make sure that they do not have as many errors as the report on 23 Trowbridge Road. member of a historically minded family, I am interested and I think you will agree with me that there is nothing worse than sloppy historical work which gets dupli- cated or into print causing many problems for future historians. am very glad to learn from your letter that, after nominations have been received by the National Register, property owners will again be notified and given an opportunity to comment.
Ehe comien tes than has Been ene caso on the al and state level. LME,Jr:jh Very truly yours, KinwoodM.Erstiietr. TELEPHONE REPORT OFFICE OF ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROvEcT: Worcester Multeple Resource Area To/FRon: Christire Bouldig DATE: 9-18-79 ADDRESS : nass. Stafl PHONE: 617-727-8470 STAFF MEMBER: Skeffield DIVISION: NR REPORT: Erakine's house is being indirdwclly vonciated withen the tred because of its sigrficant architecture and historical. assoriations. It's older then 50 years and has historial associatione older than 50 years. However, ond association- with a poet-is lese than 50 years. rokine is refering to thes porticular assocation uhes in his oljection to lesting Luffuld 9-20-74 Nia Fouel 9-20-79 Oudje sa penumet 661 SEP 2 O 1979 Abingtor Co. worcester Mr. Linvood N. Erskine, JI. Fletcher, Tilton, and Whipple, P.C.
Counselors at Lan The Gueranty Building 370 Maiu Street, Roon 1250 Vorcester, Massachusetts 06108 Dear Mr. Erskine: your property located at 23 Trovbridge Road, Worcester Massachusetts, part of the Worcester Multiple Resource Area nomination to Ehe Nacional Begiater of Historic Places. The Worcester Multiple Resource Area nontnation was received by our office on September 20, 1979. You should be recefving a letter of notification of the nominatton's pending status shortly. If you have further comments concerning the eligibility of the property, or the factual accuracy of the nomination as it concerns 23 Trow- bridge Road or any other properties included in the nonination, we wil1 be pleased to consider them during the review process. In ordertohave your corments considered, they must be recefved no later than 30 days after the date of the notiffeation letter.
IE you have further questions about the criteria for eligibility or the nonination process, please let us know. Sincerely, SARAH T. BRIDGES -Eharles A. Herrington Aeting Keeper of che llational Register cc: Mrs. Patricia.I. Weslowski Executive Director Massachusetts Historical Coumissdon 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 bcc: Director's Reading File FHR: S Sheffield:ggk:343-6401:9/20/79 BASIC FILE RETAINED IN NR PARIS FLETCHER SUMNER B. TILTON ROBERT J. WHIPPLE LINWOOD M. ERSKINE, JR. GEORGE AVERY WHITE, JR. PHILIP L. BERKELEY HENRY C. HORNER JOHN E. HODGSON SUMNER B. TILTON, JR. PHILLIPS S. DAVIS ROBERT R. KIMBALL DOUGLAS Q. MEYSTRE FLETCHER, TILTON & WHIPPLE, P.C. COUNSELORS AT LAW THE GUARANTY BUILDING 370 MAIN STREET - ROOM 1250 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS 01608 TELEPHONE (617) 798-8621 October 2, 1979 WARNER S. FLETCHER ROBERT F. DORE, JR. CHRISTOPHER W. PARKER JAMES M.
BURGOYNE Charles A. Herrington Acting Keeper of the National Register Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Department of the Interior Pension Building 440 G Street N. W. Washington, D.C. 20243 Attention: NOM FORMERLY JUNE, FLETCHER & WHIPPLE TILTON, ERSKINE & BERKELEY Dear Mr. Herrington: Re: 663 Owner - Margaret A. Erskine 495 Richards Avenue Paxton, MA 01612 Property: Worcester Multiple Resource Area William Forbes House 23 Trowbridge Rd., Worcester, MA My wife, Margaret A. Erskine, and I have received your letter dated September 27, 1979 concerning listing of the property at 23 Trowbridge Road in the National Register of Historic Places. My wife and I have been making a concerted effort to keep the house from being listed ever since we found out that the Worcester Heritage Preservation Society and the Massachusetts Historical Commission were considering nominating the house.
From our point of view this is an example of bureaucracy run rampant. I am enclosing a copy - of an article from the Worcester Telegram of September 21, 1979 concerning another government program. My wife and I have taken the actions that we have taken because I agree with Gerald E. St. Hilaire that "if we sit back and accept incom- petence and mismanagement from our government, be it federal, state or local, we get just what we deserve." I am also enclosing a copy of a letter which I received from Candace Jenkins, National Register Coordinator, for the Massachusetts Historical Commission. I received the letter during September 1979 although it contains no date. I find the omission of a date on the letter amusing as the Worcester Heritage Preser- vation Society and the Massachusetts Historical Commission seem to be unconcerned about dates and their accuracy. The report which Ms.
Jenkins sent to me with her letter has been corrected to show that my grandparents, Harriette Merrifield and William T. Forbes, FLETCHER. TILTON & WHIPPLE Charles A. Herrington - 2 - Acting Keeper of the National Register October 2, 1979 were married in 1884. For some time the Heritage Society and the State Historical Commission were circulating the report that they were married in 1888 which would have made my two uncles : illegi- timate and one of my aunts as having been conceived out of wedlock. From Ms. Jenkins' letter, you will note that she is not concerned with the accuracy of the report on the house with regards to criteria A and B and whether these criteria have been met within the 50 year period or prior to the 50 year period as she feels the house was significant from the day it was built under criteria C.
A local Worcester banker is currently building a substantial house 1ocal Mo on a substantial tract of land. I wonder if the Worcester Heritage Preservation Society and Ms. Jenkins are going to follow through on their feeling that your 50 year cut-off date does not apply and list this banker's house for nomination as an example of conspicuous consumption in a period when few houses that would meet this definition are built in central Massachusetts. Because we seem to be getting nowhere with the Worcester Heritage Preservation Society or the Massachusetts Historical Commission, I am not sure that we are going to be as successful as Mr. St. Hilaire in changing the system. I see no point in correc- ting and improving upon the historical significance report on the house at 23 Trowbridge Road, Worcester as Ms.
Jenkins indicates that we are stuck with having the house nominated because she feels it qualifies under criteria C without the 50 year period set forth in your criteria for evaluation being applicable. From my point of view, 50 years ago the house at 23 Trowbridge Road was just one of many big Victorian period houses in Worcester. Putting too many houses of no real significance on historic lists merely dilutes the value of the entire project. I suspect that your office normally accepts nominations from state agencies without question and that my wife and I have little chance of your disagreeing with Ms. Jenkins' conclusions that the house was of national historic significance as of the day it was built.
If this is the case, my wife and I would be willing to correct the report submitted to you by the Massachusetts Historical Commission on the property at 23 Trowbridge Road, Worcester and to furnish you with additional information which we feel is more significant than much of what is contained in the original report if you will agree that the real estate at 23 Trow- bridge Road, Worcester will be omitted from any public or published lists under Section 101(a) (4) of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. My mother, who just turned 90 years of age, is the principal occupant of the house. Some of the contents of the house are of considerable value from a monetary point of view and also from an historical point of view. We feel that listing the house FLETCHER, TILTON & WHIPPLE Charles A.
Herrington - 3 - Acting Keeper of the National Register October 2, 1979 on published or public lists would create a risk of destruction or harm to the site with which my mother would be unable to cope. The house is located in an area that is not improving from a social and economic point of view and we have already had the experience of two armed men forcing their way into the house when members of the family were in it. Fortunately, it was in the evening when there were few lights on in the house and little damage was done and only a few items taken because the intruders, one of whom held my aunt and uncle at gun point while the other went through the house, were unable to figure out the old rotary My wife and I feel that having the house on lists and called to the public's attention amounts to asking for more trouble.
I hope that you will not consider this letter to have been written by someone who is not sympathetic with history and the preservation of material or historic significance. I am at least the third generation in my family that has been interested in history. Among other activities, I am currently the recording secretary of the American Antiquarian Society and the corporate secretary of Old Sturbridge Inc. which operates Old Sturbridge Village. LME,Jr:jh Encs. Very truly yours, RuwoodM.Eskie 1o, OCT 1 0 1979 m S510 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 617-727-8470 MICHAEL JOSEPH CONNOLLY Secretary of State Linwood M. Erskine, Jr. Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple Counselors at Law The Guarantee Building 370 Main Street Worcester, MA. 01608 Dear Mr. Erskine: We received a copy of Mr.
Rogers'letter of August 27 as well as a copy of your own letter on August 29. I have been waiting to hear from you. After receiving your initial comments last spring, the form for the William Forbes House was revised. I am enclosing a copy; if there are still errors of this magnitude it is inevitable that a few errors will occur even when it is based on meticulous research. I regret the inconvenience this has caused you and I appreciate your close attention to detail. This house, designed in 1898 by Barker-Nourse, is a major local example of the neo-Tudor style and so meets criteria C. It is also associated with the lives of prominent local persors like William and Harriet Forbes and so meets criteria B. Finally,it is associated with the sufferage move- ment and so meets criteria A.
The house's significance dates from the day of its construction so the 50 year cut-off date has no relation to this case. You wilT be receiving an official notification from the Heritage Conserva- tion and Recreation Service that they are considering the nomination of your property. If you do not agree with our assessment of significance, you may comment directly to the National Register Branch of the Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation at that time. Sincerely, Candace fenkins Candace JeRkins National Register Coordinator CJ/mt enc. FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office oi the Secretary, State House, Boston In Area no. Form no. 101-E 1. Town Address Name Present use Worcester 23 Trowbridge Road William Forbes House residence Present owner Margaret Erskine 495 Richards Ave. Paxton, Mass. 01612 3.
Description: Date 1898 Source atlases and directories - Style neo-Tudor ion and Architect Barker ä Nourse Exterior wall fabric_ stucco and wood Outbuildings (describe) garage Other features decorative half-timber paired gables, gabled entry porch, bay windows, stone terrace mid-20th Altered storm windows Date century Moved no Date Assessors' Book 11 UTM: 5. Lot size:Lots 29,38,39,40A po2 58,033 19/268180/4683630 one acre or less Over one ea.rt-x acre Approximate frontage 190' Approximate distance of building from street 30° C. Charalambides, E. 6. Recorded by Kuniholm ed. B.R. -Píeifler Organization_ lorc. Heritage Pres. So Date January 1978 (over) 7. Original owner (if known). William Trowbridge Forbes Original use residence same Subsequent uses (if any) and dates_ 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 x 9. Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above) An exceptional local example of neo-Tudor architecture, the William orbes House is a two and one-half storey structure ol asymmetrical plan. rincipal leatures of the house's exterior are its elaborate (decorative hall-timbering, sutl elevation) fables, dianond-pane sesh 13d storey) and stone terrace The house remains in nearly original condition and is among the most elaborate designs produced by the local architectural firm of Barker i Ñourse.
According to local tradition the Porbes House was built to replace a concrete house which had been designed auring the Civil liar by Elbridge Boyden for William I. Merrifield, an important local builder and real estate developer; this earlier house was abandoned for its inability to be adapted to modern plumbing, heating and electrical wiring. The house was originally occuped by William forbes, a Judge of probate. rorbes was a native of hestborough who, after spending several years in Constantinople, Turkey, returned to hiorcester, where he was admitted to the bar in 1877. Between 1875 and 1879 Forbes was a justice of the first District Court of Eastern Worcester. Between 1881 and 1822 Forbes was a state representative and between 1886 and 1887 a state senator. In 1884 L'orbes married larriette Merrifield, daughter of William I. Merrifield.
active in many local organizations, Harriette Forbes is known locally as the author of a history of the town of Vestborough ( "The Hundredth Town") and for her brief biography of Elias carter, a worcester architect of the late 1820s-1840s. She was an avid student of architecture, particular-y interested in researching and photographing early Worcester houses. addition, Harriette Forbes was a lounder of the borcester Equal Franchise (cont.) 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) L'orcester Historical Societfforcester Bicentennial Corission, 1976. Biographical file (W.I. H. and E. Forbes) Erskine, I.. Esther Forbes, iutt, C. Iistory of Worcester, vol. I, p.500; vol. IV, pp. 773-774 (W.I. and h.
f'orbes) ) ) INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : Worcester Form No: 101-E Property Name: William Forbes Hous e Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Club, a group organized at a meeting in the Forbes House in 1912. The was active locally in building support for women's suffrage. A later occupant of the house was Esther Forbes, daughter of William and Harriette Forbes, who was the author of Johnny Tremain, Paul Revere and the World he Lived In, and other novels, short stories and essays. Staple to Inventory form at bottom - FLETCHER, TILTON & WHIPPLE, P.C. COUNSELORS ATLAW THE GUARANTY BUILDING 370 MAIN STREET - ROOM 1250 WORCESTER. MASSACHUSETTS 01608 TELEPHONE (617)798-8621 FORMERLY JUNE, FLETCHER & WHIPPLE TILTON. ERSKINE & BERKELEY 3. MEYSTRE +RISTOPHER W.PARKE AMES M.
BURGOYN March 4, 1980 Charles A. Herrington, Acting Keeper of the National Register United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service Washington, D.C. 20240 RE: #661 Dear Mr. Herrington: For identification purposes, I am enclosing a copy of the letter which you wrote to me on October 29, 1979. I am also en- closing a copy of a form letter from the Massachusetts Historical Commission and a copy of the envelope in which this letter eventu- ally reached my wife, Margaret A. Rather typical of this whole matter and rather typical of the lack of attention to detail and inaccuracies of the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the envelope was misaddressed. Your letter of October twenty-ninth said that the National Register would consider my comments during the review process.
would very much appreciate hearing from you as to whether the house at 23 Trowbridge Road, Worcester, Massachusetts was kept off the list as requested and, if not, whether the request that publication of the name and location of the house be eliminated so that adequate protection to the house and my family could be provided. I am seriously considering taking legal action for invasion of privacy against the Worcester Heritage Preservation Society and the Massachusetts Historical Commission. However, I am reluctant to do so because this would undoubtedly cause the publicity for the house which I think is unwarranted and which I hope to avoid. If the house - - FLETCHER, TILTON & WHIPPLE, P. C. Charles A. Herrington -2- March 4, 1980 ends up on the National Register so ling eno Land aich te ot cori aoraste e no ana eout se or gor, value with the house demolished than with the house standing.
LME,Jr.:1m Enclosures CC: Very truly yours, Niicod M. Ealinie vo. Massachusetts Historical Commission THE WATTUNAL REGISTER OF HISTORIG PLAGES DATE REPD MAR 7 1980 INDVDUAL RESPONSE (ATTACHED) ITTEMTECRL SENT TELS HONE COLL (ATTAGALO) DATE AGIUN TARIN INITIALS United States Department of the Interior HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240 IN REPLY REFER TO: 661 OCT 29 Mr. Linwood M. Erskine, Jr. Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple, P.C. Counselors at Law The Guaranty Building 370 Main 1 Street - Room 1250 Worcester, Massachusetts 01608 Dear Mr. Erskine: Thank you for your letter concerning the proposed listing of the Worcester Multiple Resource Area, Worcester County, Massachusetts, In the National Register of Historic Places.
The National Register will consider your comments during the review process and will provide a copy of your letter to the Massachusetts State Historic Preservation Officer, Mrs. Patricia L. Weslowski, Executive Director, Massachusetts Historical Commission, 294 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108. Although National Register reg- ulations require that a property owner be given an opportunity to comment on a proposed nomination, an owner's permission is not required for listing. Listing in the National Register is Federal recognition that a property possesses cultural value and is worthy of preservation. Once listed in the National Register, a property receives limited protection through comment by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation on the effect of federally assisted projects on historic properties.
Provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1976 provide incentives for the rehabilitation of certain structures listed in the National Register and disincentives for their demolition. Listing has no other effect on the property. It does not affect the range of actions an owner can take as long as a Federal action is not involved. If the Worcester Multiple Resource Area is accepted for listing in the National Register, notice will be placed in the "Federal Register." If additional information is needed to complete the evaluation, or if it is determined that the property does not meet the National Register criteria for evaluation, the nomination will be returned to the State. We appreciate your participation in the National Register commenting process. Sincerely, Carulshul dor Charles A.
Herrington Acting Keeper of the National Register MASSACHUSETTS MCTATCAL COMISSION 294 WASHINGTON STREET BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02108 :0.27 Margaret Erskine 493 Richards Ave. Paxton, Ma. 01612 ERS 93 1627FA81 ERSKINE 23 TROWBRIDGE RD WORCESTER MA 01609 02/27/80