BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
MAY 1 5 1909 FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 -563 AREA FORM NO. A 121 Town Southbridge Address Main Street at Marcy Street Historic Name Notre Dame Catholic Church RoCl+-7 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 Catholic church Original Catholic church DESCRIPTION Date 1912 Source parish history Style French Renaissance influences Architect Joseph Venne of Montreal, P.S.
Exterior Wall Fabric marble Outbutldings rectory, 1927(c)Salle Notre Dame, ca.1950 (NC) Major Alterations (with dates) siznificant interior renovations after Vatican II Condition Excellent Moved Date Acreage (4) four acves Setting on main thorougifare, on rise overlooking central business district UTM REFERENCE 18/745 110/4662 460 USGS QUADRANGLE Sarfhbridge. Mass-Cono 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 Notre Dame Church is significant for its association with the expansion and development of Southbridge's French Canadian community late in the 19th century, and for its unusual French Renaissance design.
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. Set on a rise overlooking the central business district, Notre Dame is one of the town's most prominent and imposing architectural features. Distinguished by the proportions of cathedral and massive volume it is a worthy monument to the large Franco-American population of Southbridge. Its round arched French Renaissance style is said to have been deliberately chose as a symbol for the cultural heritage of its parishioners.
A pleasing exterior surface tex- ture and the use of high quality materials are notable characteristics of the building. Sheathed in rock-faced white marble from Lee, Massachusetts, the building is trimmed with blue and yellow terracotta tiles inscribed with the letters "ND". The roof is of red terracotta. Bronze doors with scenes depicting the Fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary accent the main entrance Cast by Gorham of Providence, the doors were designed by Bernard P. Johnson and Aristide B. Cianfaraniti. On the interior, murals were done by Gonippu Raggi of Rome, Italy; sculptured decorations by Hugh Cairns oi Boston, stucco sculptures, columns and pilasters by Mr.
Francini of Rome, stained glass by VonGreichten of Columbus, Ohio, The architect was (See Continuation Sheet) -HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played inlocal or state history and how the -i-building relates to the development of the community. - Immigration of French Canadians to Southbridge accompanied the town's industrial growth in the 1840's. The town's first Catholic church, made up of both French Canadian and Irish parishion- ers, was built in 1853 on Hamilton Street (form #A-113). In 1869 a seperate French Canadian parish, Notre Dame, was formed. The original Notre Dame church was built about 1870 on land donated by the Hamilton Woolen Company, around the corner from the earlier church, on Pine Street. The approximate location was the site of the present convent next to Notre Dame School (Academie Brochu).
By the time of the establishment of a separate French Canadian parish, one quarter of the total population of Southbridge was of French Canadian origin. By 1908 the French population, increasing with the continued growth and prosperity of the American Optical .Company, had grown so large as to cause the creation of a second French Canadian parish, Sacred Heart Church (form #A-229), on Charlton Street. Although foreign immigration to Southbridge slowed after the 1920's, French Canadians even today make up the town's largest immigrant group. Today, the Franco-American community is the largest ethnic community in Southbridge. The present church is the second church building of Notre Dame parish. Its construction was the culmination of the efforts of two pastors, Msgr. George Elzear Brochu and his successor, Msgr. Louis-Onesime Triganne.
Both priests were dedicated to building a great monument to the Catholic faith and cultural heritage of the Franco-American community in Southbridge. Msgr. Brochu bought the land from William Marcy in 1895. At that time, Marcy was living on the site (See Continuation Sheet) BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES maps, atlases Brown, Robert E. Ihe New New Englanders. Worcester: .Commonwealth Press, 1980, pp. 36-37 LePain, Albert N. Notre Dame Church: Southbridge, Massachusetts: A Marvel of Renaissance Art", unpublished paper, 1979. 8/85 .riou : INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commnity : IRA Southbridge Form No: A-121 Property Name: Notre Dame Catholic Church Main at Marcy Street Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (cont'd) .
Joseph Venne of Montreal and the contractor, H. U. Bail of Southbridge. An attached rectory of the same monumental style as the church was built in 1927. F. X. Laliberte of Southbridge was the contractorfor the constructon of the recton. A separate parish hall, Salle Notre Dame, was added inca.lgso to the east of the church. Although its modern style does not clash with that of the church, the hall is placed close to the street in a position which diminishes the original eminence.of the church when seen from the east. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (cont'd) in his family's original homestead, which had been built by Moses Marcy about 1739. When he signed the purchase agreement, Brochu overlooked the stipulation that the church could not be constructed until after Marcy's death. While waiting for Marcy to depart from life, Brochu did not sit idle.
He actively continued to raise funds from his working class parishioners who did not have much to give. Marcy outlived Brochu who died in 1904. Brochu's successor Msgr. Triganne took up the fund raising effort, donating much of his personal estate to the building fund. When Marcy died in 1908 Triganne immediately began plans for the new church. The bishop rejected the first two proposed plans as being too costly. Triganne was nevertheless determined that the church be nothing less than monumental. He discovered an inexpensive lot of marble available in Lee. This marble is reported to have been ordered from quarries in Lee by the United States government in anticipation of the need for tambstones for those killed in the Spanish American War.
Since the war was a short one, ce tendstones 2o those kined Sh tne Sanlt the government was stuck with a large surplus and the French Canadian parish of Southbridge benefitted from it. Built at a total cost of over $250,000, the marble sheathed Church of Notre Dame was truly the monument that Brochu and Triganne had hoped for. Furthermore, as the result of the ceaseless efforts of these two men, the church was entirely paid for and free of debt when it was dedicated on July 2, 1916. When Msgr. Iriganne died in 1931, he left the money for the bronze doors which now adorn the building. The church was consecrated on October 11, 1950. Staple to Inventory form at bottom OMB Approvel No.
1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Southbridge MRA Worcester County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review Date/Signature 51. Kinney, A., House Entered in the National Begister Hxosper steruBun 6/22/84 Attest 52. LaCroix--Mosher House Entered in the National Reglater GRecper duloneByen 6/22/89 Attest 53. LaRochelle, Napoleon, Iwo-Family House Entered in the Natlonal Reglater Hkeopor delosesByeen sotos Attest 54. Maple Street Historic Distriçte in 0he Mational Reglster HKeeper delonBgun 6/22/69 Attest 55. Marcy, Mrs. R., House Entered in the dational Regiater bKeeper deberyen c/219 Attest 56. MeKinstry, William, Jr., House Akeeper:AleeseByen6b264 Entered in the National Register Attest 57.
McKinstry, Willtam, Farmhoustered 1n the Ixeoper MelmusBgun 0/2/69 Mational Register Attest 58. Morse, H.; House Entored 1n National Register Keeper_ AelureBza 4/23/89 Attest 59. New York, New Haven & Hartford Passenger Depot Entered in the fxeeper deloreByu 6/23/59 National Register Attest 60.
Notre Dame Catholic Church JcoperSelonaBgan 0/22/89 Entered in tbs National Rectster Attest NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Notre Dame Catholic Church 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: 89000563 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 DESCRIPTION current 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 mam gtreet et Marchs Street Notre Dame Catholid Ghurch South briage, MA 1985 photo Southbridge Aistorical Commission Form#A-121 1985 photo suthbridge Main & Marey Streets Roll #1-17 MRA 30 LUIHE BAUG 1301 131 3 124 125 PINE 192 122 SISTERS OF ASSUSATION 126 STREET /G3 121 SOUTHBRIDGE MASS 120 110 "5;G 2f 155 109 80 STREET ALF 48 A-121T ROSC33073 SOUTHBRIOSE, MASS.
OH EOOHEELLA ASSOCIATES AHLERM MAINE Notre Dame Church, Main Street 172 OI7! STREET -GB 3i 35 IM PET O0 HI 47 36 GS (XEV) X HO He, H1 35 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000294