BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
MAY 1 5 1989 525 SOUTHBRIDGE MASS MRA FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 AREA C FORM NO. 320 Town Southbridge Address 91 Coombs Street Historic Name na Photo (3"x3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. Staple to left side of form. Sketch Map: Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection(s). Indicate north Use: Present residential Original residential DESCRIPTION Date ca.
1905 Source maps/visual analysis Style Queen Anne Vernacular Architect Unknown Exterior Wall Fabric clapboards Outbuildings none Major Alterations (with dates) side porches _added (1980's) Condition Good Moved no Date na Acreage less than one acre Setting residential street, mostly three deckers with synthetic siding UTM REFERENCE 18/745 710/4661 790 USGS QUADRANGLE Southbridge, Mass-Conn SCALE 1:25,000 Recorded by E. Woodford, S. Ceccacci ed. S. Ceccacci Organization Southbridge Historical Com- missio Date May 1986 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) 91 Coombs Street is significant as an example of the distinctive regional multi-family housing type known as the triple decker, constructed during the growth of the town's eastern section late in the 19th century.
It meets National Register criteria A and C at the local level and retains integrity of setting, iocation, naterials, workmanship, design, feeling, and association. The boundaries indicated on the attached assessors map are those of current ownership. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of otoee of the tewtelatthely mmanteted three deckers left standing on Coombs Street, this butld- ing has a gable front which shelters a bay window and three story porches under its facade pediment. Narrower and taller in effect than many other Southbridge three-deckers, it is also somewhat unusual for its gable roof. Nevertheless, it was originally one of at least two similar buildings on Coombs Street. The building retains its original 2/2 sash, porch doors, wood trim, balusters and stained glass stair windows.
Like most of its neighbors, this house was originally adorned with win- dow shutters. Within the last few years side porches have been added. They do not greatly alter the overall appearance or the original facade of the structure. This building is a rare example of a well preserved three decker in a town where three deckers were a popular forr of housing in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. It is also significant as an example of one of a variety of three decker styles built in Southbridge during that period. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. During the early-20th century tree shaded Coombs Street was lined with a variety of well-cared- for three deckers in several different designs. Sometime around the 1930's and 1940's severa.
three deckers on the street, including this one, are known to have served as housing for American Optical Company. Available documentation does not indicate precisely who built this building or the other near- by three deckers which appeared here during the early years of the century. In 1898 only a few houses had been built along the street, yet the property had been divided into house lots. Most were owned by persons with French surnames. The lot of 91 Coombs Street was owned, together with several to the north of it, by J. M. Dupaul.
The gradual subdivision of land in this area which had once belonged to large suburban estates on Main Street occurred after about 1870, as the town's industries grew increasingly prosperou: By the early years of the 20th-century a large number of multifamily houses were being built along Main Street and in contiguous areas, apparently as a response to the continuing growth and success of nearby American Optical. This explains the development of Coombs Street as a largely three decker neighborhood. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES - maps, atlases Card File of Houses Rented by American Optical to Employees, Southbridge Historical Society Collection 8/85 NPS Form 10-900 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 Section number.
Page Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Southbridge MRA Worcester County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 41. High--School Streets Historic District Entered 1n tha National Begister Date/Signature Kreeper AueByu 6/2/64 42. Hodgsfon, William, Iwo-Family House Entered 1n lha Natiulad Reglstar Attest Feeeper elamBye Attest 4/22/24 43. House at 18 Walnut Street antered in tue National Begistar Keeper ( Sulousyen 6/22/84 44. House at 3 Dean Street 4.c.re1 Natiunas 13610.9L 45. House at 34 Benefit Street Matlonal Begiater Attest Fkeeper AuleBigun 6/2/69 Attest /Keeper AhbmsBzen 6/21/84 Attest 46. House at 59--63 Crystal Street chicicù lh LuE Keeper Alue/zun 6/22/39 Natlonad ha61atat Attest wrilcted 1h Laic 47. House at 64 Main Street Wational Register Ekeeper Seluu Byu 4/+7/69 Attest 48.
House at 70--72 Main Street intered in the Matlonel Regiate LReeper AelunedJyiu 4/22/89 49. House at 91 Coombs Street intered in the National Register 50.
Judson--Litchfield House Entered in the dational Regiater Attest KReeper AliluuByeu5/22/69 Attest fisceer 2elmByun 4/22/09 Attest NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY NAME: House at 91 Coombs Street MULTIPLE NAME: Southbridge MRA STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Worcester DATE RECEIVED: DATE OF 16TH DAY: DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: 5/15/89 6/16/89 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 5/31/89 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 6/29/89 REFERENCE NUMBER: 89000525 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: OTHER: N PDIL: N PERIOD: N PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N N N COMMENT WAIVER: N V ACCEPT RETURN REJECT 6/2289 DATE Entered in the Natlonal Begister ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: RECOM./ CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N CLASSIFICATION count resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION FUNCTION historic current DESCRIPTION architectural classification materials descriptive text 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 _justification of exception other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage UTMS verbal boundary description boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps OTHER COMMENTS USGS maps photographs -presentation Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date 91 Coombs $t, (C-320) southbridge, MA ceccacc, 1906.
Southbridge Historical commission ROll #6 47 M..A SOUTHBRIDGE MASS 55 dnN EU'IntnEiL A ASSOCIATES iS70 91 Coombs Street 47 136 36 1126 137 133 #91 -320 136 138 130 RIOGEHOOO AY 140 CISCO 143 60"l ©138 137 3 45 SOUTHOR RICCE MASS. 1 NO PAACEL 138 46 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000294