BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
MAY 1 5 1989 551 SOUTHBRIDGE MASS MNA AREA FORM NO. FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 F 615 Photo (3'x3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. Staple to left side of form. 50= =-7 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 Town Southbridge Address Dennison Lane Historic Name Dennison School House (District 2) Use: Present residential school house Original DESCRIPTION Date 1849 Source plaque StyleGreek Revival Architect unknown Exterior Wall Fabric brick Outbuildings none Major Alterations (with dates) side exten- sion in the 20th c., Sash with false munt1 (late-20th c.) Condition Good Moved no Acreage u7 acres Setting rural area Date na UTM REFERENCE 18/743 125/4660 460 USGS QUADRANGLE South bridge MF/CT SCALE 1125,000 Recorded by E. Woodford, S. Ceccacci ed. S. Ceccacci Organization Southbridge Historical Com- mission Date May 1986 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Dennison School is significant for its association with Southbridge's persistent agricultural community and of a brick district school.
It meets National Register criteria A and C at the local level and retaine integrity of setting, location, materials, workmanship, design, feeling, and association. The boundaries indicated on the attached assessors map are those of current ownership, retaining a rural setting. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other butldings within the community. The Dennison School House is the better preserved oi two extant mid-19th century school houses in outlying Southbridge districts. The other, a frame structure at 383 Lebanon Hill Road, has been considerably altered in its mid-20th century adaptation as a residence. Both of these outlying school houses are of a similar one-and-a-half story design.
The Dennison School is somewhat unusual because brick construction is less common than wood for schools in outlying districts in Central Massachusetts towns. The entrance in the long side rather than in the gable end of the building is also less common. Although the original plan of the Lebanon Hill Road school is not certain, it appears to have had the entrance in the gable end. A third mid-19th century school house (ca. 1850) is still standing on Main Street in the Centre Village Historic District. This two story Italianate brick structure is larger and somewhat more imposing than these outlying schools because of its location and its higher student population. The use of brick and more elaborate architecture for schools in town centers during this period was not unusual.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. The Dennison School District was the first school district in Southbridge. In 1742 when this section of town was part of Sturbridge, the first school classes infterritory now belonging to Southbridge were held in James Deneson's barn. A school house is known to have existed on this present site as early as 1795. district school houses were rebuilt. -Three surviving early schools are from this period. It is possible that the small brick Dunbar-Vinton House at Hook and Hamilton Streets may have originally been a school (ca. 1800-1828). If So, building known to be in existence in Southbridge. Presently, however,. the Dennison Schoolis considere the oldest intact school building in town.
The Centre Village School, now the Police Station, was also built about the same time. The precise dates of construction of these mid-19th century schools hasnot been documented by current research. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES - maps, atlases Ammidown, H. Historical Collections, 1874 8/85 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 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 Entered in bic National Register 23. Cummings, E.B., House Entered 1n tbe National Registar 24. Dani and Soldani Cabinet Makers and Wood Workers Factory Entered in tbe National Reglstar 25.
Dennison School House Entered in the Hational Register 26. Dresser, Sylvester, House Entered in the Mational Registes 27. Dunbar--Vinton House Entered in the National Register 28. Durfee, Henry E., Farmhousentered in the National Register 29. E1m Street Fire House Entered in the National Register 30.
Evangelical Free Church Entered In the National Register Date/Signature JorKeeper Betttaunye 6-22-89 Attest fxeoper AueuByun 6ptps Attest 6/2/ Attest Keeper AhbnByen 0/22/9 Attest 6Keeper shlubyen0/22/4 Attest FReeper KulreBiyen 6/2/64 Attest Keeper Ahlorelbgen 6/24/84 Attest /Keeper delBzu5/22/4 Attest tKeeper ShbreBize 6ps/59 Attest Reeper SlluBze /25/4 Attest NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Dennison School House 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: 89000551 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 6/27/89 _DATE Enteredin tha Mational Registez 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 relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage verbal boundary description UTMS boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps USGS maps _photographs OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone _presentation Signed Date - Derison School House, (F.615) Dennison Lane Southbrigge MA Ceccacci 1986 Southbriage Historical Commission ROll#37 71 74.
25 23J 231 77 111C 75 -... 211 [F-615 PARKWOOD LAMC 95 20 MRA SOUTHBRIDGE MASS 21 24K 21L _ri.. Z4M 96 JOHIN E.O'OGAYELL G ASIOCIATES WCAN HAIE Denrisonschouftoux, Dennusontane SOUTHBRIDGE, MASS. ¿ "ALE U''*'2do NOPAACTEIO 76 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000294