Nomination for Worcester Corset Company Factory

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Worcester MKA AREA FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MA 02108 pisted FORM NO. 153-L 4.1984 Oct. Worcester eSS 30 Wyman Street- )ric Name Worcester Corset Co. Factory SKETCH MAP Show property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection. Indicate north. see attached assessors map and sketch map Present industrial )riginal SCRIPTION: Present Owner: Deane-Lyman Partnership 1895-1909 Original: Worcester Corset Company vulrce building notices Style utilitarian industrial Architect Arthur F. Gray of Boston Exterior wall fabric brick Outbuildings none Major alterations (with dates) no Recorded by B.R. Pfeiffer Organization Worc. Heritage Pres. Society Date February, 1978 Assessors Map # Book 7, sheet5, lots 1-7 Moved no Date Approx.

acreage ove02,15a sg7f. Setting_ industrial complex in mul- tiple family residential neighborhood. UTM references 19/267400/4681060 (Staple additional sheets here) ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community.) The Worcester Corset Company Factory, bounded by Wyman, Hollis, and Grand Streets, was built in several stages between 1895 and 1909, all of which were apparently designed by Arthur F. Gray of Boston. Bearing a date plaque of 1895, the building's oldest section fronts on Hollis Street between Wyman and Grand Streets. In 1901, a notice was published locally stating that enlargements of the plant were being considered, however, no addition seems to have made prior to 1909.

In 1909, notices for three different additions appeared, and a plaque on the western portion of the Wyman Street section bears the date "1909." While the western portion of the Grand Street side of the property bears no date, it seems likely also to have been built in 1909. The additions to the factory were constructeinued) HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community.) The Worcester Corset Company Factory of 1895-1909 possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship. As one of Worcester's major industries by the early 20th century, it is closely associated with the city's rapid economic development during that period. Additionally, it is representative of the type and method of construction typical of late 19th century industrial structures in New England.

Thus, the factory meets Criteria A & C of the National Register of Historic The Worcester Corset Company grew out of a business founded in 1861 by David Hale Fanning. Fanning, a native of Connecticut, born in 1830, had worked in various locations in central Massachusetts before coming to Worcester in 1857. Between 1857 and 1861 Fanning worked as a salesman; in 1861, he was refused entry into the Union - Army for reasons of health. Unable to serve in the Civil War, Fanning entered manu- facturing by the lestablishment of the Worcester Skirt Company which made hoops for hoop-skirts. As the popularity of hoop-skirts declined, the company began to manu- facture corsets. In 1888 Fanning had the business incorporated under the name of the Worcester Corset Company, changed to the Royal Worcester Corset Company in 1901.

At the height of the business's success, it employed more than 2,000 people locally and was one of Worcester's major industries. Fanning, for whom the city's girls' trade school was named was known locally as a philanthropist. The Corset Company went into receivership in the 1920's, was refinance and continues in operation until the early 1940's when it finally went under permanently. At that time the property was bought by the Burwick family of Worcester who have owned it since. *continued below* BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES (name of publication, author, date and publisher) Engineering Record, Vol. XXXII, 6/22/1895, p. ix (bldg. notice). The Commercial Review, Vol. IX, no. 7, 11/9/1901, p. 34 (addition notice) Worc. County Weekly Record, Vol. VII, no. 11, 3/20/1909, p. 6; Vol. VII, no. 12, 3/27/1909, p. 6; Vol VII, no. 17, 5/1/1909, p. 8 (addition notices) Worc.

County Weekly Record, Vol. VI, no. 52, 1/2/1909,_p. 6 (addition notice) Nutt, C. History of Worcester, Vol. III, pp. 211-213 (Fanning bio.) Architectural Significance (Con't) by the nationally known Norcross Brothers. Of simple brick construction with some decorative brickwork and stone trim, drawn from the Renaissance Revival, the factory's most striking features are its square towers located on Wyman and Grand Streets. * From the 1940's until 1983 the property was leased to H. Brown Shoe Co. which manufacturedwork shoes and boots, and special order combat boots for the military. The company is still in business but has just finished moving its operation to the South.

10M - 7/82 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Worcester Corset Company Factory (Worcester MRA) Worcester County MASSAC HUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal #sample Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: Substantive Raview -request -appeal MAY 3 1984 Working No. Fed. Reg. Date: Date Due:- 5731/84-6/17/80 Action: ACCEPT LRETURN 6-11-84 - REJECT_ Federal Agency: _ LNR decision Recom./Criteria RECTORN Reviewer - MAC DOUGAL Discipline_ ARCHITECTURAL HISTORy 4/ 15/84 see continuation sheet Nomination returned for:_Ytechnical corrections cited below * substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition Status Accessible 4. Owner of Property 5.

Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? yes - no 7. Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated Druins unexposed Check one unaltered altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

Present Use Check one - original site moved date summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection PLEASE PROVIDE A DESCRIPTION OF THK PROPERM BEING NOMINATED. ALTHOULH THE DOCUMENTATION REVGRENCES DHE HISTORIL EVOLUTION DF THE STRUCOUNE A BRUFE SUMMARU DE THE SUILOINGS APPEALANCE IS NDÍ AVAILABLE.

Statement of significance

/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph J completeness clarity applicable criteria IF THE PROPERTY IS SIGNIFICANT AS TYPICAL OF THE TPE AND METHOU OF CONSTRUCTION justification of areas checked DF NEW ENGLAND INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURES IT NEFERS TO BE STATED WHST relating significance to the resource THEE FRATURES ARE PHAT MAKE IT TYPICAL. context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

Major Bibliographical References Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification tO THE NEAREST ACRE. PLENSE PROVIDE ACRENE, - NOT SQUARE POOT DIMENSIONS. 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13. Other XMaps PLEASE PROVIDE AN DRIGINAL USGS MAP. XEROXED MAPS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. MiRE TIAN ONE PRORELT Photographs PLEAK LIRKL PHOTOCRAPHS ANO LOCATE THE PROTO VIEWS ON THE SKETCAMAP MA BE LOCATES ON AMAP. Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to - Signed- 2.

BYEPS /B.MacDuNa-AL Date 6/15/8+ Phone:- Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet Worcester MRA AREA FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MA FORM NO. 153-L 02108 Town Worcester Address 30 Wyman Historic Name_ Worcester Corset Co. Factory PHOTO: (3x3" or 3x5", black & white) staple to left side of form Photo number SKETCH MAP Show property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection.. Indicate north. Use: Present industrial Original industrial DESCRIPTION: Present Owner: Deane-Lyman Partnership Date 1895-1909 Original: Worcester Corset Company Source_ building notices Style utilitarian Romanesque Revival Architect_Arthur F.

Gray of Boston Exterior wall fabric brick Outbuildings None See attached assessors map and sketch map Major alterations (with dates) no Moved no Date_ Approx. acreage 1½ acres Setting_ industrial complex in multiple family residential neighborhood. Recorded by_ B.R. Pfeiffer Organization_ Worc. Heritage Pres. Society Date_ February, 1978 Assessors map # Book 7, Sheet 5, Lots 1-7 (Staple additional sheets here) UTM references 19/267400/4681060 ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the conmunity.) This brick U-shaped utilitarian Romanesque Revival factory building, bounded on three sides by Wyman, Hollis and Grand Streets, was constructed in two periods. The north and east wings, built ca. 1895, are four stories high plus a full basement and feature two square towers, one each on Wyman and Grand Streets.

The south wing on Grand Street, built ca. 1906, is five stories high plus a full basement. A third tower rises at its west end. Both sections of the complex were designed by the Boston architect, Arthur F. Gray, and were constructed by the nationally known Norcross Brothers. Al though built in two stages, the separate wings of the building are well integrated. The first three levels of each wing are composed of (continued) HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community.) The Worcester Corset Company Factory of 1895-1909 possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship. by the early 20th century, it is closely associated with the city's rapid economic development during that period.

Additionally, it is a well preserved and distinctive example of the type and method of construction typical of late. 19th century industrial structures in New England. Thus, the factory meets Criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places. . The Worcester Corset Company grew out of a business founded in 1861 by David Hale Fanning. Fanning, a native of Connecticut, born in 1830, had worked in various locations in central Massachusetts before coming to Worcester in 1857. Between 1857 and 1861 Fanning worked as a salesman; in 1861, he was refused entry into the Union Army for reasons of health. Unable to serve in the Civil War, Fanning entered manufacturing by the establishment of the Worcester Skirt Company which made hoops for hoop-skirts. As the popularity of hoop-skirts declined, the company began to manufacture corsets.

In 1888 Fanning had the business incorporated under the name of the Worcester Corset Company, changed to the Royal Worcester Corset Company 1n 1901. At the height of the business's success, it employed more than 2,000 people locally and was one of Worcester's major industries. Fanning, for whom the city's girls' trade school was named, was known locally as a philanthropist. The Corset Company went into receivership in the 1920s; was refinanced, and continued in operation until the early 1940s when it finally went under permanently. At that time the property was bought by the Burwick family of Worcester who have owned it since. From the 1940s until 1983 the property was leased to H. Brown Shoe Company which manufactured Blatirecaidin and or Rersteids thame bf piolication, aldbor, ate an darpany 1e ) The company is still Engineering Record, Vo1. XXXII, 6/22/1895, p. ix (bldg. notice).

The Comerical Review, Vol. IX, no. 7, 11/9/1901, p. 34 (addition notice) Worc. County Weekly Record, Vol. VII, no. 11, 3/20/1909, p. 6; Vol. VII, no. 12, 3/27/1909, p. 6; Vo1 VII, no. 17, 5/1/1909, p. 8 (addition notices) 1/1909, p. Worc. County Weekly Record, Vol. VI, no. 52, 1/2/1909, p. 6 (addition notice) Nutt, C. History of Worcester; Vol. III, pp. 211-213 (Fanning bio). 10M - 7/82 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : Form No: Worcester 1 Property Name: Worc. Corset Co. Factery Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Architectural Significance (Continued) recessed window bays with segmental arched window openings separated by brick piers. These bays, and thus the windows, are wider on the later wing.

A restrained granite and corbelled brick beltcourse runs between the third and fourth floors on the entire building. The original boldly corbelled brick cornice of the earlier wings is continued as an intermediate cornice on the ca. 1906 wing, uniting the two phases of construction. The top floor of each wing has Romanesque Revival round- arched windows, with raised brick window heads. The cornice of the south wing is composed of several courses of raised brick. The roof is flat, with the exception of the three projecting towers. These towers have pyramidal roofs with bracketed projecting eaves. The Romanesque Revival detailing is carried through in the Spanish tiles which cover the tower roofs. The primary entrances to the building are at the base of each tower, in round-arched openings with molded brick extrados.

Fleur de lis tie rod ends and circular terra- cotta plagues identifying the building ornament the entrance bays. Secondary entrances are in several window bays in the courtyard. The courtyard is partially paved and partly grass-covered. In the courtyard stands a tall smokestack and a brick, one-story boiler building with a hipped, slate-covered roof. Historical Significance (Continued) The Worcester Corset Factory is typical of late New England factory or mill buildings in its masonry construction, with bearing walls that are substantially thicker on the lower levels to provide adequate structural support for heavy machinery. The building's multi-story recessed window bays, separated by smooth brick piers and holding multiple-light double hung-wood sash are also typical of the building type.

In addition, the use of towers in factory construction was almost standard in late- nineteenth century factory design. Also representative is the building's interior with its open floor plan, heavy decking and utilitarian character. Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp.10-31-84 For NPS use only received 5-3-4 date entered Continuation sheet Item number Page/ ofL Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group dnr-11 Name State Worcester Multiple Resource Area Worcester County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 11. Worcester Corset Company Factory Keeper Date/Signature towr hainegel 10-4-84 Substantive Review Attest 2. Malvern Road School Keeper Substantite Review Bouar habagat o141 Attest 3.

Claremont Street Historic District Substautive Reriew Keeper TS 4. Richmond, Willard, Apartment Block 5. Russell (The) 6. Aurora Hotel 7. Holy Name of Jesus Complex 8. Vendome and the St. Ives Attest Entered in the fKeeper elmlgun 11/1185 Hational Bogister Attest Entered in the Zatilonnl Hegister fKeeper SelunsByu 112/85 Attest Substantive Review -gor/keepes Patuick Andus v/al8s Attest BetEX Sange 4/28/88 Entered [ Sr Ce Ant1032i i0g!0t0z gauieper Aelomtgud 6/9188 Attest susetantie zoregflicepBett) Serge a-0ge 9. (. Shaarai Torah Synagogue Enteled 1n the Matlonal Registøfeeper Attest Styt4e 10.

Keeper Attest WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Worcester Corset Company Factory (Worcester MRA) Worcester County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: *sample Substantive Review request -appeal Working No. 5/3/84 Fare Due Date: 25784 Date Due: Action: ACCEPT _ 10-4-8 -_ RETURN _REJECT_ Federal Agency: -NR decision Recom./Criteria Acupt/ AtL Reviewer Ma tay Discipline_ A.H. Date 10.4.83 see continuation sheet Nomination returned for: - -technical corrections cited below substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification . Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? yes - no 7. Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one unaltered altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one - original site moved date 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance J justification of exception J other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10.

Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: _national state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed - Date - Phone: Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet auLuA Worcester Corset Factory Worcester, MA MRA Lyman, 4/84, photo #1 of 8 South wing, photographer facing north. Juncture of c.1895 and c. 1906 building is just to left of tower. nont Worcester Corset Factory Worcester, MA M Lyman, 4/84, photo #2 of 8 South wing, photographer facing northwest. Facade on Grand Street, c.1906 wing.

Worcester Corset Factory Worcester, MA MR Lyman, 4/84, photo #3 of 8 North wing, photographer facing southwest. Upper stories of c. 1895 wing. Worcester Corset Factory Worcester, MA MRA Lyman, 4/84, photo #4 of 8 North wing, photographer facing southeast. Street level view of entrance in tower on Wyman Street. 5 Worcester Corset Factory worcester, MA Lyman, 4/84, photo # 5 of 8 East wing, photographer facing south. This wing and north wing were built c. 1895 Worcester Corset Factory Worcester, MA MRA Lyman, 4/84, photo #6 of 8 View of courtyard interior and north wing from the tower in the south wing, photographer facing north. Worcester Corset Factory Worcester, MA MR Lyman, 4/84, photo #7 of 8 View of courtyard and north wing from the tower in the south wing, photographer facing north west. Roof of boiler house in foreground.

Worcester Corset Factory Worcester, MA MRA Lyman, 4/84, photo #8 of 8 View of courtyard from roof of east wing, photographer facing west. South wing and tower to right. left Wcruster Caset Coapary Fact Weraster MRA, Ma Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000304 OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER CITY OF WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS 01608 cEosapport FRANCIS J. McGRATH CITY MANAGER March 20, 1984 RECEIVED MAR 2 21984 MASS. HIST. COMM. Ms. Valerie A. Talmage, Executive Director Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Massachusetts Historical Commission 294 Washington Street Boston, MA 02108 Dear Ms. Talmage: On behalf of the City of Worcester, I would like to voice my support for the nomination of the Royal Worcester Corset Works Building to the National Register of Historic Places.

This building is, reflective of the type of site that is a big part of Worcester's industrial past and should be recognized. As you are aware, the Deane/Lyman Partnership intends to rehabilitate this structure into 158 units of market rate housing. This bold action should be rewarded by allowing these developers to benefit from historic rehabilitation tax benefits. Linking historic preservation with development incentives is vital to the revitalization of older conmunities like Worcester. By nominating the Corset Building, the Conmission can help Worcester continue its efforts to showcase Worcester as a growing and revitalized City, while strengthening its image as the 'Heart of the Cormonwealth". Again, I urge the Conmission to nominate the Royal Worcester Corset Works Building to the National Register.

This nomination is crucial to this project and the UDAG grant that will be used to assist development. Sincerely yours, Franei fIn Grath City Manager PH/tlb