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 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 See attached map UTM REFERENCE 19/269530/4681510 USGS QUADRANGLE Worcester North SCALE 1:25,000 97002404 AREA DEC 2 6 1989 FORM NO. 1648 Town Worcester Address 31 Jefferson Street Historic Name Patrick Murphy Three-Decker Use: Present resicential Original residential DESCRIPTION Date ca.
1900 Source Worcester Couse Directory Style Queen Ánne style Three-Decker Architect unknown Exterior Wall Fabric wood clapboard and shingle Outbuildings none Major Alterations (with dates) none Condition vary good Moved Acreage Setting Date less than 1/4 acre Late I9tn/early 20th century urban, multi-fanily residential street Recorded by Nontine Jordan Organization Ciark University Date February 1981 Revised for MC by Michael Steinitz -12/88 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Patrick Murphy Three-Decker possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. It is significant for its association with the earliest focus of three-decker development on Grafton Hill, a neighborhood whose residents were primarily of Irish descent.
It is also an unusually well-presarved and exceptionally well-detailed example of local Queen Anne style three-decker construction. The Murphy Three-Decker thus meets criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places on the local level. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the conmunity. Architecturally, 31 Jefferson Street is a remarkably well-preserved, ornately detailed example of the use of Queen Anee style elements in three-decker construction. The house has the characteristic side-hall plan, with a side-wall jog. It is clad in wood clapboard, with a band of cut shingle between the second and third floors. The gable-on-hip roof has a wide cornice overhang, containing regularly spaced decorative brackets.
The facade has an entrybay with a double-leaf, paneiled door, flanked by an angled, three-story bay window. The corners where the bay window meets the roof cornice are decorated with large corner brackets with pendants, as is the jog corner on the side wall. On the main facade, a full-length first floor porch wraps around the bay window, and extends back to the side wall jog. The porch is supported by turned posts and has small, jigsawn brackets; it is also decorated with a spindle balustrade, and ball-and-spindle frieze. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. The Murphy Three-Decker was built ca. 1900 in the early core of the Irish residential neighborhood that developed on the northwest slope of Grafton Hill.
By the early 20th century, many Irish families were moving from the older, inner city districts to more stylish, new houses on the East Side hill slopes. The first known owner of 31 Jefferson Street was Patrick B. Murphy, a laborer who resided here. Residents in 1900 included Michael J. O'Reily, a dentist; Mary M. O'Reily, a stenographer; Theresa Carroll, a teacher; Helen Carroll, a clerk; and Patrick and George Brown, agents. The Murphy family still lived here in 1912. Tenants at that time included Jeremiah O'Leary, a mattress maker; Daniel O'Leary, a helper; and Michael J. McGrath, a fireman. In the 1920s the building was owned and occupied by Jeremiah Donohue, a foreman. In 1930, tenants included Elizabeth Fogarty, a waitress; Mark McDougal, a hostler; Mary McDougal, a machine operator; and John Casey, a wire worker.
BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Worcester Directory, Worcester House Directory, 1900, 1904, 1912, 1920, 1930. L.J. Richards, Atlas of the City of Worcester, 1911, 1922. J. Callahan et al., Worcester Three-Decker Survey, 1981. 8/85 NPS" Form 10-900-a (8-88) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page. OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Worcester Three-Decker MRA Worcester County, MASSACHUSETTS 51. Massady Anthony, Three-Decker 52. McCafferty, Elizabeth, Three-Decker Substantive Bevier ..cu in Cue 53. McCarron, Andrew, Three-Decker Yational Boglster Keeper Date Listed hatsona, ostdgfafeper AulmußBgun 2/119 Attest Jorkeeper Attest patty Sae ,02-05 90 AelouByer 214/2 Attest 54. McDermott, John B., Three-Deckesncered in the Keeper National Begiates Attest 55.
McGrath, Patrick, Three-Decker «ivured in the Satlonal Registes Keeper Attest 56. McGuiness, Patrick, Three-Decker. -.ou 1n tne jat1onal RegiatepKeeper Attest 57. MoPartland, Frank, Three-Deckewjatsoeud Beglatde Keeper Attest 58. McPartland, James, Three-Deckeruucred in tne Keeper Mational Begiater Attest 1 1L 59. Munroe, Sarah, Three-Decker National Boglatef Keeper Attest 60.
Murphy, Patrick, Three-Decker -itered 1n the Wationad Boglatar/ Reeper Attest HelmurByen 2/9kc KelmByen 2/9/92 AelmeByu 212/51 DelnaByen 2/9/50 HtelourByeu 2/4/40 AelmeByan 2/9/96 Aelebyur 2/9/40 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Murphy, Patrick, Three-Decker NAME: MULTIPLE Worcester Three-Deckers MRA NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Worcester DATE RECEIVED: 12/26/89 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 1/25/90 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 1/09/90 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 2/09/90 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 89002404 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: COMMENT WAIVER: N LACCEPT RETURN ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: REJECT 2/7/98 0ArE Entered in the Nat1onal Begister 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 8HHR PATRICK MURPHY THREE 3I JEFFERSON STREE WORCESTER, MA MMC #1648 Worcesto Three Necker ML 6 HARRISON BLAKE 2A9601 PROVIDENCE NAARISON 33 éNPLY INGALLS {XP&22 PERAY 39.
COLUM BIA 3 1 N ARLINGTON 50 8W P(N 3) 20 0ra3 cé,ut E 2. E -ON JEFFERSON V 33 - aN F 0UR 50 8WAX3 16° W P(N3) L E SCALE OF P""Y COPYAIGNT SANBORN HAA COMMENT. ATTAN 8 NEWSL. Patrick Murphy Three-Decker 31 Jefferson St., Worcester MHC# 1648 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000305