BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING 568 MAY 1 5 1989 SOUTHBRIDGE MASS MRA AREA - A FORM NO. 130 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 TownSouthbridge Address 29 Pine Street Historic Name Academie Brochu Roll#1-21 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 school Original schoo1 DESCRIPTION Date 1899 Source building Style_Colonial Revival Architect Chickering & 0'Connell, Spring- field Exterior Wall Fabric brick Outbuildings (C) - 2 brick Georgian Rev. Classical parish-related bldgs.(ca.
1920) Major Alterations (with dates) side addition early to mid-20th c., metal windows & door (ca. 1960's-1970's) Condition Good Moved no Date M/a Acreage oneaere or less Setting in parish complex late-19th early-20th century single and multi-family residential neighborhood UTM REFERENCE 18/745 020/4662 640 USGS QUADRANGLE Southbridae, Mass-Conn. SCALE 1:25,000 Recorded by E. Woodford, S. Ceccacci ed. S. teccacct Organization Southbridge Historical Com- mission Date May 1986 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) Acadamie Brochu is signifi ant for its association with the expansion and development of Southbridge's French Canadian community late in the nineteenth century, and for its Colonial Revival design by Chickering & O'Connell of Springfield.
It meets National Register criteria A and C at the local level and retains integrity of location, materials, worrmanship, design, feeling, and association. Tha boundaries indicated on the attached assessors map are chose of current ownership. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. The formal symmetry and brick construction of this school make it one of the most imposing buildings in Southbridge. Characterized by Classical details, a massive effect and a richness of rhythm and surface texture, the building has two consecutively projecting facade pavilions, broad hip roofs, a gable roofed facade pediment and highly articulated wall surfaces.
Light colored contrast to the red brick body of the structure is provided by limestone sills, lintels and trim, yellow brick accent trim and painted metal cornice and frieze at the eaves. The appearance of the building has been sonewhat altered by the replacement of original window sash and doors with inappropriate substitutes. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. A parish school of the French Canadian church of Notre Dame, was operated in Southbridge by the Sisters of St. Anne from 1881 until 1889. In 1891 the school was resumed under the care of a group of Sisters of the Assumption of Nicolet.
During these early years, thé school and convent were both housed in a single building (on the site of the convent north of the present building) next to the original Notre Dame Church (no longer standing) on Pine Street. The school had a student population of about 500 in 1891. By 1899 the number had increased to 740 with twelve nuns as teachers. In that year it was decided that a separate school was needed. The present building was built at a total cost of about $40,000: $5,000 for the land and $31,869 for construction. The first and second floors contained six classrooms each. A chapel with a capacity of 800 to 900 occupied the third floor. For several years this chapel was used by the parish each Sunday for masses for children because the church was not large enough to hold all its members before the creation of a second French Canadian parish (Sacred Heart) in 1908.
The new school was named Academie Brochu in honor of Msgr. George Elzear Brochu, pastor of Notre Dame Church, who made its construction possible by contributions from his own savings. Brochu was a strong-willed man who was determined to see the children in his parish receive a proper Christian education. Many of the parishioners did not see the value in having a parish school. At the time most of the parisiohers were mill workers and wanted their childri to work as soon as possible to help support the family. Brochu saw education as a way to esci being economically dependant upon the mills. Brochu also actively advocated the idea that being a good Catholic meant being an active citizen. He played an important role in trans- forming the French-Canadian community into the Franco-American community. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES maps, atlases Gatineau, Felix.
Histoire des FranceAmericains de Southbridge. Framingham: Lakeview Press, 1919 Builders' Weekly, Vol. III, #13, p. 9, 12/24/1898 8/85 NPS Form10-000-l (8-86) United States Department of theInterior National ParkService National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number . Page OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Southbridge MRA Worcester County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review Cover 1. Academic Brochu 2. Allen, William E., House 3. Alden--Delahanty Block Date/Signature fo Keeper Betho Sauge 6-228i Entered in the National Register ThlanasSyen 6/22/89 Attest Entered in tho /Keepex AlelnesByun 6/22/89 National Register Attest Entered in the National Begistex FReeper sueasagus 0/22/84 Attest 4. Ammidown--Harding Farmhouse Entered in the Keeper ( XhereByui 4/269 National Begister Attest 5.
Ashland Mill Tenement Entered in the Mational Register Keeper AuluserEgen 4/22/89 6. Bacon--Morse Historic Distriftered in the National Register 7. Beechwood Intered in the National Register 8. Boyer, Alexis, House Entere! 1 Nat1onad Bectster Attest Aeeper eluuBau 66/22/84 Attest Hheoper Almney Zgun 6/2x/84 Attest fKeeper AuluusSye 6/22/89 9. Building at 25--27 River Street Entered in the Natlonal Begister Attest Fkeeper AulverBeen 6/22/69 Attest 10.
Building at 29--31 River Street Hnt1 in tbs RacLstok fr Keeper C Aeluye 6/22/89 Attest NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Academie Brochu 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: 89000568 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N OTHER: N PDIL: N PERIOD: N REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: NATIONAL: N N N COMMENT WAIVER: N ACCEPT RETURN REJECT 6/22/5ATE 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 HHl Acadenie Brochu, (A.130) Southbnidge, NA Ceccacci, 1986 soutrbnage Histoncal Commission Roll #1-21 29 Pine St.
30 132 -CRANÉ- 1133:13+ 140 -HAMILTON-- 143 % 143 146 34 125 A-130 #24 120 OMAROS 100 STREET MRA SOUTHBRIDGE MASS 106 2f 48 JOH EO'OGHRELL B ASSOCIATES AAARUIRM MANE 29 Pine Street SOUTHBRIDGE 156 36 STREET 47 ISOALEIN'''T.d0 EX-EXEUPT-10WN Y H6, MI 35 MASS. Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000294