BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
MAY 1 5 1989 585 FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 SOUTHBRIDGE MASS MRA AREA B 220 FORM NO. Town Southbridge Address 34 Benefit Street Historic Name n/a 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 residential Original residential DESCRIPTION Date Ca.1870-1878 Source maps Style Greek Revival Vernacular Architect Unknown Exterior Wall Fabric Clapboard Outbuildings None Major Alterations (with dates) dormer window (late-19th c. ) stone facing on facade foun- dation (late-20th c.
) Condition Good Moved No Date nla Acreage less than one acre Setting dense workers' neighborhood, row of similar 1½ story houses of same period UTM REFERENCE 18/745 740/4662 210 USGS QUADRANGLE Southbridge, Mass.-Conn, SCALE 1:25,000 Recorded by E. Woodford, S. Ceccacci ed. S. Ceccacci Organization Southbridge Historical Com- Date May 1986 mission NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) 34 Benefit Street is significant as an early example of worker housing constructed during the growth of the town's eastern section late in the 19th-century. 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. The best preserved of a row of nine nearly identical workers' cottages built on Benefit Street in the 1870's, this narrow one-and-a-half story cottage retains its clapboard siding and its bracketed porch with jigsaw-cut ornament. Sitting gable end to the street, it has its entrance under the porch which runs along the side. Simple, but dignified in appearance, the cottage is a vernacular expression of the Greek Revival style which was at its height of popularity bet- bar expree toru ween 1830 and about 1850. Simplified versions of the basic rectangular Greek Revival house form persisted in working class neighborhoods in central Massachusetts until as late as the 1890's.
Greek Revival elements seen here are the substantial gable cornice with a narrow frieze and returns and the wide plain window frames. The porch, typical of the 1870's, is Italianate in flavor. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. This house and its eight companions on the west side of Benefit Street were among the very first workers' houses t.o be built near the newly opened (1872) American Optical Company factory on Mechanics Street. The developer of this row of cottages was William Edwards, who also owned three other houses on the east side of Crystal Street. With the exception of Williams' row and two houses opposite it on the east side of Benefit Street, the land between Crystal and Foster Streets was still entirely undeveloped in 1878.
During the late-19th and early-20th centuries, the area on and around North Street became densely developed with housing and a few commercial buildings. Almost all of that development was related to the prosperity of the American Optical Company. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES - maps, atlases photo C.F. Hill Collection, July 1889, Jacob Edwards Librars (shows house nearby 4 Benefit Street) 8/85 NPS Form 10-900-e (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service 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 41. High--School Streets Historic District Entered in tbe National Register 42.
Hodgsfon, William, Iwo-Family House Entered 1n tha Matiulai RegiaLar Date/Signature Kkaoper Aemebgun 0/2/69 Attest Hseeper Shelan Bgu a/27/84 Attest 43. House at 18 Walnut Street antcred in bue National Begister /Keeper ( 6/22/4 Attest 44. House at 3 Dean Street red ir datiunad Kagi3.SI FRecper 6/22/69 Attest 45. House at 34 Benefit Street Matlonal Begiater Keeper AlneByun 6/2/89 Attest 46. House at 59--63 Crystal Street culetcd 1h lue Keeper AulmBze 6/22/59 Nationat Beflatat Attest 47. House at 64 Main Street unlcicd Il Las National Reglater - Freeper dele Byu 4/s2/0 Attest 48. House at 70--72 Main Street intered in the Haturo te c fteoper AelnneBigen 4/2/65 Attest 49. House at 91 Coombs Street Entered in the KReeper AllmuByen4/22/69 National Register Attest 50.
Judson--Litchfield House Entered in the Mational Begister fsceper LeemeByen4/22/59 Attest NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY NAME: House at 34 Benefit Street 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: 89000585 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 6/22/89 DATE Intered 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 context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage UTMS _verbal boundary description boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION _USGS maps photographs sketch maps OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone presentation Signed Date NADEAU'S SOUTHBRIOGE UPHOLSTERY feu.
34 Benefit Street (B 220) Soutoridge, Mass 424 1996 Southbrdge Atitorical Comnussion Roll #5 MRA SOUTHBRIDGE MASS 35 JOHN E.O'DCWHELL a ASCOCIATES AUAUAH, MAIHE / 47 30 29 -tgisa i32! 15'21 0.. Lurte 32 155 SOUTHBRIDGE. MASS. 37. 1808s.M#s.I4.MR.IN 36 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000294