Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Builder/Architect summary paragraph - completeness L clarity -applicable criteria KLjustification of areas checked relating significance to the resource -context -relationship of integrity to significance Xjustification of exception other éducation is unjustifud as an applicable ara of segryicance veyond being one surlognenis pleasedelete in 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 L Maps - Photographs -Other ouestlon anomng n nrn ano fpeth Sowage (002) 343-9550 Signed tatuic Andur. - Date - 9/3/87 Phone: Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet GPO 918-450 NPS Form 10-900 (Rev. 8-86) OMB No. 1024-0018 RECLIVED United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form JUL 2 11987 NATIONAL REGISTER This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations of eligibility for individual properties or districts. See instructions in Guidelines (Form 10-900a). Type all entries. 1. Name of Property historic name other names/site number Southbridge Town Hall 2. Location street & number city, town state MA code 41 Elm Street Southbridge 025 county Worcester N/A not for publication N/A vicinity code 027 zip code 01550 3. .
Classification Ownership of Property private public-local public-State public-Federal Category of Property X building(s) district site structure object Name of related multiple property listinga Number of Resources within Property Contributing Noncontributing 1 buildings _ sites structures 1 _objects 1 _Total Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register0 4. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, 1 hereby certify that this XI nomination Jrequest for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets theprocedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. nmy opinion, the propertyXmeet Jdoes not meet the National Register criteria. See continuation sheet.
álme AT almao Signature of certifying official Shfe Ldly 18,1287 Massachusetts Historical Conmission & State Historic Preservation Officer State or Federal agency and bureau In my opinion, the property L meets ] does not meet the National Register criteria. See continuation sheet. Signature of commenting or other official Date State or Federal agency and bureau 5. National Park Service Certification 1, hereby, certify that this property is: Ventered in the National Register. Se continuation sheet. determined eligible for the National Register. See continuation sheet. determined not eligible for the National Register. Patich wAndues 11/20/82 removed from the National Register. Jother, (explain:) Signature of the Keeper Date of Action 6.
Function or Use Southbridge Town Hall, Southbridge, Massachusetts Historic Functions (enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (enter categories from instructions) town hall town hall high school 7. Description Architectural Classification (enter categories from instructions) Romanesque Revival Materials (enter categories from instructions) granite foundation walls brick roof_ other slate brownstone and terracotta trim Describe present and historic physical appearance. The Southbridge Town Hall is located at 41 Elm Street in the commercial and institutional center of this industrial city 20 miles southwest of Worcester. The building faces west toward Dresser Street, which runs perpendicular to Elm Street, on a small urban lot of less than an acre. wide walk and steps across the low terrassed front yard with parking on the east and north sides.
served in the Civil War, a bronze statue of a soldier on a granite pedestal (NC) ; the whole measur ing about 12 feet, and erected in 1914. The building was constructed in 1888 to house the town offices, meeting hall, and high school. The Southbridge Town Hall is a large building in a broad and massive Romanesque Revival design. It is asymetrical in massing, a central, gable-front block with flanking round towers of unequal height, cross gabled and apsidal ells to the rear. Its brick wall surface is broken by brownstone and terracotta trim that emphasizes horizontally across the main block and draws attention to structural details such as story divisions and openings. The ornament employs the roundheaded arches of the medieval style and the hallmarks of the late nineteenth century revival including rough-faced stone trim, terra cotta checkering, and squat columns.
The primary mass of the town hall is a brick three story, gable-front block raised on a granite basement with paired center entries on its facade, low towers on the south west and north east corners, and ahigh tower on the northwest corner. At the rear the s, ahd sn tgn gable block is crossed by gabled projecting bays, and a small, apsidal hip-roofed block of a single story on a basement extending from the rear The town hall's chief facade faces west, and received the largest portion or ornament. The gable front, central portion is dominated by centralized open ings, clustered to form a large, roundheaded arch. The two entries on the first floor are roundheaded and recessed, surrounded by squat colonettes supporting rough-faced arches all of brownstone.
The colonettes are repeated on the second floor, dividing the two large windows, and rise to support the 1arge half-round window in the tympanum. Small windows with round-arched XSee continuation sheet NPS Form 10-800-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 7/21/87 Southbridge Town Hall, Southbridge, Massachusetts Section number Page heads flank this central element on the first and second floor while the tip of the gable block is treated with three narrow windows. ZELEE Rough-faced brownstone stringcourses unify this central block with its flanking round towers. The high tower has roundheaded openings at its base and lighting the stairway, while the top is treated with ribbon windows, a checked cornise, and a hipped cornical roof.
The lower tower has square headed open ings, a checked The towered block held town offices on the first floor, Memor ial Hall, a large auditor ium, in the second floor of the mair block, and a balcony area in the upper story. The interior of the main block remains largely intact, and some original stained glass remains. A secondary entrance on the north lateral wall of the main block was recessed under a segmental arch between the north towers, but it has been bricked in. On the secondary elevations, regularly spaced windows are both half-round and square headed, with brownstone trim dividing their transoms and extending to form stringcourses. The rear portion of the building, including the cross gab led block and apsidal ell, housed classrooms. Ar chaeo logy No prehistoric sites are recorded on the property and only one site is present in the entire town.
While it is possible that sites may have been present, historical development in the area and the relatively small size of the lot suggests that the likel ihood of significant prehistoric survivals is low. These factors also suggest that the potential for significant historic sites is low. Most evidence of the town's 18th century settlement appears to have been destroyed by later building construction. While later survivals may exist elsewhere in the town, little evidence is present associating them with this property. 8.
Statement of Significance Southbridge Town Hall, Southbridge, Massachusetts Certitying official has considered the significance of this property in relation to other properties: nationally ] statewide [Xlocally Applicable National Register Criteria Criteria Considerations (Exceptions) -E OF -G Areas of Significance (enter categories from instructions) architecture Communityplanning and development Period of Significance 188 Significant Dates 1888 Cultural Affiliation N/A Significant Person Architect/Builder N/A unknown State significance of property, and justify criteria, criteria considerations, and areas and periods of significance noted above. The Southbridge Town Hall was built in 1888 to house town offices, meeting hall, and high school.
The substantial Romanesque Revival design is among the ambitious in the town, and embodies many of the important characteristics of period municipal buildings: It retains integrity of location, design, setting, materlals, workmanship, teeling, and association, and meets Criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places on the local level. The nominated property is the second town hall built for the town of hatinaese hiver and tane deyro omant t waltereone. Southbridge, located on the Connecticut border in southwest Worcester County, the town from a rural agricultural area in the eighteenth century to an urban industrial center by the third quarter of the nineteenth century.
At the height of the prosperity that accompanied this expanding economy the town built a large and fashionable town hall, in the village that had historically been the civic center and that became its commercial core as well. When Worcester County was permanently settled by colonials early in the eighteenth century, the square mile area that is now Southbridge was part of the territory assigned to its three neighbors, Sturbridge, Charlton, and Dudley. By 1730, settlers came to the area and established the familiar dispersed farmstead settlement pattern of a mixed grain and husbandry Grist and saw mills were established on the Quinebang by 1740, and the area had sufficient population to require a local schoolhouse in 1754.
Late in the eighteenth century area residents began to plan for town Bape , erolite s he h ve sa ese t ranest bomn Derere aoir pere net Baptists, Methodists, and Universalists. in 1801, and was incorporated in 1816. Town meetings were held in the 1797 meetinghouse. X See continuation sheet 9. Major Bibliographical References Steinitz, Michael, Claire Dempsey, Myron Stachiw, and Charlotte Worsham. Historic and Archaeological Resources of Central Massachusetts. Boston, Massachusetts Historical Commission, Southbridge Town Report.
Typescript at MHC, 1983 Previous documentation on file (NPS): ]preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested previously listed in the National Register previously determined eligible by the National Register designated a National Historic Landmark recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey # Jrecorded by Historic American Engineering Record # 10.
Geographical Data Less than one acre Southbridge Scale 1:24000 UTM References A L,8 714,5|3,2,0J Zone Easting orthin -See continuation sheet Primary location of additional data: [X State historic preservation office ]Other State agency Federal agency ]Local government ] University Other Specify repository: Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth of Massachusetis survey #302 Zone DLU Easting -See continuation sheet Northing L LlILIL Verbal Boundary Description See assessors map LSee continuation sheet Boundary Justification The lot described above is that associated historically with the town hall. -See continuation sheet 11.
Form Prepared By name/title_Susan Ceccacci for the Southbridge Historical Conmission with Claire Dempsey organization assachusetts historical Conmission date 14 May 1987 street & number 80 Boylston Street Room 310 telephond(7) 727-8470 02115 city or town Boston state _ zip code NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 7/21/87 Southbridge Town Hall, Southbridge, Massachusetts More significant perhaps than its independence was the establishment here early of textile mills. Cotton spinning mills were built at Westville in 1811, at Globe Village in 1812, and carding was begun the same year.
rat then age Vompaneess emer ged thatemeutd dominate the economy and stimulate growth in their villages, the Hamilton Coluen famnpanufacturong, neat Len saauea burh cotat the thentoe yi popelacion increased fivefold dur ing this period, growing from 1,066 in 1820 to 5,208 in 1870, and received significant numbers of immigrants, primarily French Canadians who made up 43% of the total by 1875. This growth and diversity brought an elaboration of the community's public building stock clustered in the center village area that remained the town's civic and institutional focus. The number of schools increased, the town's many denominations built their own churches, and the town built its first town hall in 1838.
After disestablishment in 1833, towns in Massachusetts increasingly built separate meeting halls for their town meetings, often hous ing a selectmen's office as In Southbridge on Elm Street, the hall was brick, two stories in height with a cupola, in the Greek Revival style. It would later also contain the town's high school. Prosper ity continued through the third quarter of the nineteenth century fueled by the growth of a new industry in the town, led by American Optical Company. By 1915, the town's population reached 14,217, of which near ly 4,000 were employed at American Optical. With expansion, the town's three villages coalesced into a single urban area, with the Main Street corridor acting as its commercial center. New churches, meeting halls, and stores were added in this area, among them the new town hall in 1888.
Southbr idge's prosperity meant it required a larger building and led it to choose an elaborate form. Through the nineteenth century muncipally funded functions multiplied as previously privately funded activities of social welfare and, public protection were taken over by the town. At the same time the public officials overseeing these activities were increasingly assisted or prptessionarastoffice space decame ars ear-targera portionof town halis. While attempts were made to separate the high school from the town offices and meeting hall this proved finally to be prohibitively expensive. This larger building included offices and classrooms on the first floor and a large auditorium on the second. continued NPSForm10-800- (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet 8 OMB Approval No.
1024-0018 7/21/87 Southoridge Town Hall, Southbridge, Massachusetts Section number Page The town hall was constructed in the komanesque Revival style, popular in central Massachusetts during the period for public buildings including other meeting halls, schools, libraries, and commercial buildings. In Southbridge, however, the other large examples of the style, the Savings Bank (1887) aortienal y te ene ntry bortang enodk loner and hasemy consteruc tani only the later Notre Dame Church (1912) nearby on Main Street, a towered French Renas issance Revival design, is a rival in size or elegance. Southbridge Town Hall 41 Elm Street Southbridge, MA 01550 Towntall C-302 135 204 BAEEGI 8A 1= 213 200 _MI STREET SOUTHBRIDGE MASS- M2 144 146 147 53 JONN SOUTHB 36 46 010= 55 7/21/87 511 MASS.
N MAAL 168.4 47 RESUBMISSION WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Bovies Southbridge Iown Hall Worcester County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission - nomination by person or local government - owner objection -appeal Substantive Review: -sample -request Lappeal Reviewer's comments: Tolly unpotent Romanssque feoival Working No._ 1.21.52 Fed. Reg. Date: Date Due: - 2720/87 Action: LACCEPT 11-20-8/ _RETURN REJECT Federal Agency: ENR decision Hecept A+C Discipline Andu littned wistry 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? 7.
Description Condition -excellent -good -fairR - deteriorated Druins -unexposed yes Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance -summary paragraph - completeness ] clarity ]alterations/integrity L dates - boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use L no Check one -unaltered Daltered Check one -original site -moved date 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Builder/Architect J summary paragraph completeness L clarity J applicable criteria -justification of areas checked LJ relating significance to the resource - context - relationship of integrity to significance -justification of exception -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 title 13. Other date -Maps - Photographs -Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed - Date Phone: . GPO 918-450 Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet SOUTHBRIDGE TOWN HALL 41 Elm Street Southbridge, MA photographer-Susan Ceccacci date of photo-march 1986 Location of regative - Sathbridge Historic Commission photo #1 of 1 views from Elm Street, looking south L31A0 P635549131 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary of State Michael Joseph Connolly, Secretary ECE JUL 2 1 19 ..: Massachusetts Historical Commission Valerie A.
Talmage Executive Director State Historic Preservation Officer July 12, 1987 Carol Shull National Register of Historic Places Department of the Interior National Park Service P.O. Box 37127 Wash ington, DC 20013-7127 Dear Ms. Shull: Enclosed you will find the following namination forms: Iwo Boston properties are being submitted: Congress Street Fire Station, 344 Congress Street New Riding Club, 52 Hemenway Street, HPCA #0618-84-MA-85-0799 Concord, Mott Shaw, Thamas Estate, 317 Gar field Road, HPCA #10297MA Southbridge, Southbridge Town Hall, 41 Elm Street Wal tham, Lawrence, Phineas House, 257 Trapelo Road All have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and have been Comments received to date are attached to the nominatian form.
Sincerely, Detay Friediery Betsy Friedberg Na tional Register Director Massachusetts Historical Commission BF/1s Enclosur e 80 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116 (617) 727-8470 0093944 734 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Secretary of State Michael Joseph Connolly, Secretary Massachusetts Historical Commission Valerie A. Talmage Executive Director State Historic Preservation Officer September 29, 1987 Ms. Carol Shull National Register of Historic Places Department of the Interior National Park Service P.O. Box 37127 Washington, D.C. 20013-7127 Dear Ms.
Shull: Enclosed please find the following nomination forms returned after substantive review by your staff: Boston, 17 Cranston Street Boston, Hoxie, Timothy, House, 135 Hillside Street Boston(Roxbury), Westerly Burial Ground, Center Street Concord, Thomas Mott Shaw Estate, 317 Garfield Road Pittsfield, Providence Court, 379 East Street Southbridge, Southbridge Town Hall, 41 Elm Street All corrections have been made by the Massachusetts Historical Commission staff. Al1 have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer. Sincerely, Betsy tr tedber Fre dele rg National Register Director Massachusetts Historical Commission encl. OCT 5 237 80 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116 (617) 727-8470
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