BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 MAY 1 5 1989 530 SOUTHBRIDGE MASS KRP AREA FORM NO. D 401 502= Town Southbridge Address 24 E/m Street Historic Name Elm Street Fire House 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 fire station Original fire station DESCRIPTION Date 1899 Source _ historical files StyleEclectic, Late-19th Century ArchitectGeorge H.
Clemence, Worcester Exterior Wall Fabric brick Outbuildings none Major Alterations (with dates) addition of additional truck bays (mid 20th ca) Condition Good Moved no Datenla Acreage lessthan one acie Setting commercial/civic area UTM REFERENCE 18/145 295/4662 060 USGS QUADRANGLE Southbriclge.Mass-Conn SCALE 1:25,000 Recorded by E. Woodford, S: Ceccacci ed. S. Ceccacci Organization Southbridge Historical Com- mission DateMay 1986 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if ap; licable) Ihe Elm Street Fire House is significant for its association with the expansion and development of Southbridge's commercial and institutional center late in the 19th century, and for its impressive brick Rennaissance Revival design. Itmeets National Register criteria A and Cat 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. Composed of elements of the Classical, Gothic and Romanesque styles, this building is identifie as a fire house by its tower and the row of arched truck entrances on the ground floor. The horizontal lines of the main body of the building, the rusticated treatment of the ground floor, the keystones above the second story facade windows and the modillioned eave treatment are of Classical inspiration. The high pitched roofs and dormers are Gothic in feeling. The repeated round arched windows and truck bays together with the brick corbelling and the massiveness of the tower are Romanesque.
Without the vertical accent of the tower, the build- ing would have a much more Classical feel to it. The use of the tower was popular for all sorts of buildings from churches, to factories, to commercial and public buildings during the late-19th century as a picturesque architectural feature. For fire houses the tower often had two practical purposes; it could house a bel1 to sound the alarm and also serve to hang fire hoses to dry after use. (See Continuation Sheet) HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. Until 1832, the only fire apparatus in Southbridge was a tub engine owned by the Hamilton Woolen Company. In 1832 the town appropriated $350, to be matched by private subscription, to buy a tub engine for the town.
At the same town meeting it was agreed to establish volunteer teams to man both the new engine and the existing Hamilton Mill fire apparatus. As a result, Engine Company*1 was established for the town center and Engine Company*2 was formed for Globe Village. The engine in the town center was kept at several locations in what were apparently rudimentary buildings until about 1860 when an engine house was built on Central Street. In 1875 new steam fire engines replaced the old hand type. The establishment of a town fire department in 1880 was an important step toward the moderni- zation of fire protection in Southbridge. During the 1890's two new fire houses were built. The first was in Globe Village in 1894 (form #D-454). The present building was built after the town appropriated $23,000 for its construction.
During this same period the town was able to boast an ample supply of water, supplied by hydrants and subterranean street reser- voirs, for fighting fires. A Gamewell Fire Alarm System was also functioning during the 1890's. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES - Souvenir of Southbridge 1898. Southbridge(?): George Grant-Press Print, 1898, pp. 66-69. "Tiger Engine Co. ] (A New Fire Department for Southbridge)", Southbridge Evening News, 2/14/1964. 8/85 30U INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Community: Southbridge Form No: D-401 Property Name: Elm St. Fire House Elm Street Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (cont'd) The building was designed by George H.
Clemence (1862-1924) a young Worcester architect, who had already built at least two Worcester fire houses when he received this commission. Southbridge directories show that during the 1890's Clemence kept an office in Southbridge as well as in Worcester. He designed the now altered Southbridge Armoty and many, if not all, of the buildings of the Worcester & Southbridge Street Railway, including the elegant Overlook Hotel (not the Masonic Home) in Charlton. Unfortunately, lack of documentation has not permitted identification of other buildings by Clemence in Southbridge. Clemence was one of Worcester's most important architects during the late-19th and early- 20th centuries. He received commissions for numerous Worcester public buildings, schools, and residences, many of which still exist and have been listed on the National Register.
Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Section number Page - Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Southbridge MRA Worcester County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 21. Comins--Wall House Substantixa Beview 22. Congregational Church 23. Cummings, E.B., House Entered in tuc MatLonal Register Entered in the National Register 24. Dani and Soldani Cabinet Makers and Wood Workers Factory Entered in tbe National Reglstor 25. Dennison School House Entered in the National Register 26. Dresser,Sylvester,House Entered in the Matlonal Regiater 27. Dunbar--Vinton House Entered ia tha National Register 28. Durfee, Henry E., Farmhousentered 1n the National Register 29.
Elm Street Fire House Entered in the National Register 30.
Evangelical Free Church Entered in the National Register Date/Signature JorKeeper Bettaurge 6-22-89 Attest Keeper 6paps Attest Fkeoper ateuByen 66/2/14 Attest Keeper AlonBzen a/22/84 Attest 6 shlubgen6/22/69 Attest Keeper allreByen 6/22/89 Attest Keeper Lllore Bzen 4/24/4 Attest Keeper delesBzus/22/4 Attest 1Keeper AebreByu 6/0/14 Attest /Keeper KelmBze 4/2fs Attest NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY NAME: Elm Street Fire House MULTIPLE Southbridge MRA NAME: 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: 89000530 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 X/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 relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage UTMS verbal boundary descriptio boundary justificatioi ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps _USGS maps photographs OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date _presentation HElm st.Fire Station southbridge, MA utD-401 Ceccacai ,1986 Southbridge Historical Comm.
kol#Z.. 2em street fure House ID-401/ 35 STNEET 206 : 203 204 SACNE FOBY OreKE 202 201 200 135 130 140 STREET MRA SOUTHBRIDGE MASS 143 144 145 146 147 148 SOUT 36 «008 A6S0 nwos ceueteo TOWM ON SOWIMBRIOON CAS3 46 L.IAC 55 46 27 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000294