BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
589 FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 MAY 1 5 1989 AREA FORM NO. B 247 Town Southbridge Address 38 Historic Name -42 Worcester Street 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'slocation in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection(s).
Indicate north Use: Present Original DESCRIPTION DateCa.1878-1898 multifamily residence multifamily residence Source maps, atlases Style Late-19th century Vernacular Architect UnKnown Exterior Wall Fabric clapboard Outbuildings none Major Alterations (with dates)none Condition good Moved no na Acreage Setting Date Lessthan one acre on a densely developed street of mostly multifamily dwellings,late-19th to early-20th c. UTM REFERENCE 18 745 700/4662 670 USGS QUADRANGLE Southbridge MACT SCALE 1:25,000 Recorded by S.
Ceccacci Southbridge Historical Com- Organization Date May 1986 mission NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) 38-42 Worcester Street is signifigant as an example of the distinctive regional muiti-family housing type known as the triple decker, ornamented in a distinctly French Canadian fashion, and constructed during the growth of the town's eastern section late in the century. It meets National Register criteria A and C and retains 19 th integrity of setting, location, materials, workmanship, design, feeling, and association. 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.
This six family three decker is one of the earliest three deckers in this section, known as "The Flats", which by the early years of the 20th-century had been densely developed with a variety of three decker types. It is also one of the few well preserved three deckers in the area. Typical of many 'three deckers in Southbridge, the galleries of this building are not limited to the main facade. Not only do they stretch across the entire front but they also wrap around part of the sides. These porches, somewhat lacy in appearance with their turned posts stick brackets, and plain square-stick balusters, are the building's major ornamental feature The use of the exterior porch stairs seen here is common in Southbridge. This detail, which is often seen on three deckers as well as on a variety of other types of residential building here, is believed to be of French Canadian origin.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. Before the 1880's this section north of the Quinebaug River was almost entirely undeveloped. Even by 1898 there were only scattered clusters of houses in this area. This building and those which stand to its south belonged to one of those clusters. After the enlargement of the American Optical Companý factory nearby in 1899-1900, the area developed rapidly, mostly with multifamily dwellings-mainly three deckers. Prior to the end of the 19th century, many American Optical Company workers had lived in an area limited by Mechanic Street, North Street and Main Street, a neighborhood of single famil! workers' cottages (see forms #B:220& #B246).
The increasing population in Southbridge at the end of the century appears to have made multifamily dwellings the more popular form of working class housing. However, further research is necessary to determine what other factor: might have influenced the popularity of the three decker in this newly developing BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES - maps, atlases, directories 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 Date/Signature 11. Building at 38--42 Worcester Street Entered in the National Register freoper Zebmaßyen 6ps/r4 12. Building at 52 Main Street Enteredin the National Begister 13.
Central Mills Historic District Entered in the National ReglateI 14. Chamberlain--Bordeau House Entered in the dational Register 15. Chapin Block Entered 1u Lne Mational Begister Attest FReeper AhlumenZgu 6/22/59 Attest Ikeeper AleeneByun 4/1219 Attest keeeper AeluuByan 4/2=/19 Attest (Keeper AlnBye 4/2/89 Attest 16. Cheney, A1pha M. House Entered in the (Keeper #ational Begister AeloneZyer 8/2285 Attest 17. Cheney, J.M., Rental House.iea in tne National Register /Keeper AelnByen 62189 18. Clarke--Glover Farmhouse Attest rkeeper MereBzua 4/2/84 19. Cliff Cottage Entered in tne National Begister Entered in the National Register Attest /Reeper. AllreBye 4/22/89 20.
Cole, E., Merritt, House Entered in t5e Naticnal Begistar Attest thoeper SlruBgen 0/21g Attest NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Building at 38--42 Worcester Street 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: 89000589 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 LACCEPT RETURN REJECT 6/22/89 DATE Interedin the National 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 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 38.42 Woruster N., B:241 Southbridge Historical commission Ceccacci, RO11 #5 southbridge, MA MRA 22 35 ESCIVEMIROS MASS 58-44, Worcester Street /21 MF 35 Bu ac CARPENTER'S POND 18 22 -QUINEBAUG B-247T #38-44 88 10 29 100 STREET MF 36 E.
O'DCMMELL & HAAMTO ASSESSONS SOUTHBRIDGE, _MASS. BCALE IN FEEY 2d0 D0 PAAGELO @1.00.00 30 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000294