BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MAY 1 5 1989 529 VUUIHBRIDSE MASS AREA D 241 FORM NO. MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 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. between Indicate all buildings inventoried property and nearest intersection(s). Indicate north Town Southbridge Address 484 Worcester Street Historic Name Dani & Soldani Cabinet Makers & Wood Workers Factory Use: Present industrial Original industrial DESCRIPTION Date 1914 Source maps, atlases & directories Style early 20th c.
Brick industrial Architect Unk Exterior Wall Fabric brick Outbuildings gable roofed two story frame storehouse at rear Major Alterations (with dates) two story cinderblock addition on rear (mic-20th c. Condition g00d Moved No Date nla Acreage ore acre ov ess Setting on main thoroughfare in outlying residential area UTM REFERENCE 18/746 250/4663,920 USGS QUADRANGLE Southbvidge NACT SCALE 1:25,000 Recorded by E. Woodford, S. Ceccacci ed. S. Ceccacci Organization Southbridge: Historical Com- mission Date May 1986 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Dani and Soldani Factory is significant as a building associated with the optical industry that dominated the Southbridge economy through the late 19.th and early zoth centuries, bringing economic expansion that contr buted to the growth of the town.
It meets National Register criteria A and C at the local level and retains integrity of setting, location, materials, 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 other buildings within the community. Iypical of early-20th century brick factory buildings in Southbridge, this structure is simple in design with corbelling at the eaves and broad segmented arched windows. Indicative of its period of construction are the cement window sills. Today the. building remains intact as an early-20th century light industrial shop. It still retains its multipaned wood window sash and an appropriate painted sign on the street facade.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. This building was originally built to house the Optical Lens Company, about which little information has been found. A study of available Southbridge directories suggests that the company was established about 1914 when the building was built. It remained in business into the 1920's. The company was not listed in the 1930 directory. Following the success - of the American Optical Company during the late-19th and early-20th centuries, a number of smal1 optical manufacturers hopefully set up business here also. A few were successful and remained in business for many years, others, such as this one,lasted only a few years.
Dani and Soldani, established by Eugenio Dani and Giovanni Soldani, was the earliest Italian manufacturer to establish itself in Southbridge. As early as 1912 the two men were listed in the directory as carpenters living at the same address, 56 Elm Street. The company was officially founded about 1914, first operating from the rear of their Elm Street house. Later it moved to the Armory on Central Street. In 1926 Dani and Soldani moved to the present location where the company still remains in business today. Makers of counter display cabinets, the company employed forty hands in the 1930's. Italians began arriving in Southbridge in the late-19th century. The greatest Italian influx, however, came between 1910 and 1916, just before World War I. Dani and Soldani appear to have arrived during this period as they were not listed in the 1902 directory.
BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES maps, atlases, directories Stone, 0.L. Massachusetts Industries, Vol. II, pp. 1952-53. 8/85 NPS Form 10-900-e (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 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Southbridge MRA Worcester County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 21. Comins--Wall House 22. Congregational Church Substantike Beview Entered in tuc Mational Register 23. Cummings, E.B., House Bntered 1n the Nationad Register 24. Dani and Soldani Cabinet Makers and Wood Workers Factory Entered in the Mational Registar 25. Dennison School House Entered in the Hational Register 26. Dresser, Sylvester, House Entered in the Matlonal Register 27. Dunbar--Vinton House Entered 1a the National Register 28.
Durfee, Henry E., Farmhousentered in the National Register 29. Elm Street Fire House Entered in the National Register 30.
Evangelical Free Church Entered in the National Regleter Date/Signature Jor Keeper Bethx zurye 6-22-89 Attest Keeper 6pap9 Attest Ixeeper lloneByu 6/22/9 Attest Keeper AulousByen 0/27/9 Attest 6 Keeper <hloserbyen 6/22/89 Attest Keeper alulorByun 6/22/89 Attest Keeper dleloreByun 6/22/8 Attest Keeper sebresBzu/22/54 Attest 1Keeper AhloreBizu 4/28/59 Attest /Keeper KlelmBye 4/22s Attest NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Dani and Soldani Cabinet Makers and Wood Workers Factory NAME: 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: 89000529 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 ACCEPT RETURN REJECT 6/22/89 DATE Entered in the National Register 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 USGS maps photographs presentation OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date DANI AND SOLDANI CABINET MAKERS WOOD WORKERS 184 Worcester sK.
D.241) (D.241) Dam : Soldani Southbriage MA caoinet makess; Ceccacci 1986 woodworkess Soutbridge Historical Commission Factorz Roll #6 9 [D-241 #784 10 31 30 33 127 16 GA 24 129 130® 131 132 134(0) % 135(0) O 500 P0OX 125 124 123 uxng 3T (P) (13a 12ID 12IC 1218 121A GIROUARD lt à AVE NUE (P) 10 AVENUE 14 VAW 141 140 151 152 153 154 155 156 (0) 130 159 1/322 S0UT H :53. CLSNOJER 22 KALM'!! 250 PAPCL -1.c- SCIIN E O'SOIELL A AS:OCIATES H4AINE 484 Worcester Street 15 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000294