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 56e) SUUIHERIDOE WADO MRA AREA A - 115 FORM NO. Town Address Southbridge Hamilton Street Historic Name Evangelical Free Church Co0=1-17 Photo (3"x3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of property on back ot 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 church - Episcopal Original church - non denominational/ Congregational DESCRIPTION Date _ 1869 Source Quinebaug Historical Soc.
Leaflets Style transitional Romanesque Revival/ Victorian Gothic Architect unknown Exterior Wall Fabric_brick Outbuildings_none Major Alterations (with dates) doors, 20th c.; parish house addition - 1958 Condition Good late- Moved no Date Acreage les,than one acre Setting fronts onto residential street UTM REFERENCE 18/744 720/4662 910 USGS QUADRANGLE Southbridae, Mass-Conn SCALE 1:25,000 Recorded by E. Woodford, ed. S. Ceccacci Organization Southbridge Historical Com- mission Date May 1986 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Evangelical Free Church is signifigant for its association with the town's industrial expansion and the elaboration and diversification of public building at mid-century. It meet National Register criteria A and C at the local level and retains integrity of 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. Built of brick, the Evangelical Free Church was one of three church buildings built in Southbridge in 1869. The other two, St. Mary's Catholic Church and the first Notre Dame Catholic Church (no longer standing) were built of wood. Chiefly Romanesque in style, candan eere brenenet the church also has some Victorian Gothic elements. Romanesque characteristics seen here are the paneled nave walls, brick corbelling, round arches and the stocky well articulated bell tower. The high-pitched spire with polychromatic roofslates and the large projecting entrance overdoor are distinctive Victorian Gothic features.
The choice of style and design are not unusual for Central Massachusetts churches built after 1860. In fact, a somewhat Romanesque style church was built in 1864 on Main Street in the Centre Village Historic District, for the town's Baptist congregation. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. Churches were among the earliest structures to be built on the west end of Hamilton Street; St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church was the first in 1853 (form #A-113), in 1869 the Free Church, and in 1873 St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church (the successor to St. Peter's) were all built in this still undeveloped area.
Organized in 1854, by the agent and managers of the Hamilton Woolen Company, the Evangelical Free Church met in Unity Hall at Main and Mill Streets until the construction of the present building was complete. Although it claimed to be non-denominational, the church was classed as Congregational. Among its original 29 members, there were owners, employees of the mill,and several prominent citizens of Globe Village. Nonetheless, the Free Church was often referred to as the "Mill Church" Supervisors." or sarcastically as the "Church of the Holy BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES maps, atlases Quinebaug Historical Society Leaflets, Vol. II, #13. 8/85 NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior NationalPark 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 Entered in tue Jational Register 23. Cummings, E.B., House Anterel in the National Register 24. Dani and Soldani Cabinet Makers and Wood Workers Factory Entered in the National RegIstar 25. Dennison School House Entered in the National Register 26. Dresser, Sylvester, House Entered in the Mational Regieter 27. Dunbar--Vinton House Entered in tha National Register 28. Durfee, Henry E., Farmhouseintered in the National Register 29. Elm Street Fire House Entered 1n the Natlonal Register 30.
Evangelical Free Church Entered In the National Regieter Date/Signature Jorkeeper BertSaunge 6-22-89 Attest fieoper AuemByun 6pp9 Attest Attest Keeper AulousByeu 0/27/69 Attest 6Keeper shluByen6/22/4 Attest FReeper aluBzen 6/22/14 Attest keeper Aulore Bzun 6/22/1 Attest /Keeper delreBges/22/9 Attest Keeper AleluByu 4ps/19 Attest Keeper SelouBizen 4/2764 Attest NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY NAME: Evangelical Free Church 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: 89000561 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: N OTHER: N PDIL: N PERIOD: N PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N - SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N N COMMENT WAIVER: N ACCEPT RETURN REJECT 6/22/87 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 OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone presentation Signed Date Hamilton.St.
(A -115) Evangelicad, Free Chrarch southbridge, Ms MDt 1986 Eouthbridgu ttistoncal Comm. Form# A-115 1985 phito southbridge Harnelton street Roll #1-17 VUN SOUTHBRIDGE MASS TA-II5 31 29 75 HAMILTON MF GB 33 84 138 STREF 11O TIHOTE STREET 50 34 37 49 ACHN E.O'DONLELL O ASSOCIATES RUaUHN, HAINE SOUTHBRIDBE, MASS. Evangelical Free Church, Hamelton street STREET 47 45 11.0653 27 48 37 35 A1F 34 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000294