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 "orted property and nerest lings intersection(5). Indicate north zy4 AREA DEC 2 6 1989 FORM NO. 1848 Town Worcester Address 141 Vernon Street Historic Name George Fontaine Three-Decker Use: Present residential Original residential DESCRIPTION Date ca. 1918 Source Worcester House Directory StyleColonial Revival (Gambrel) Three-Decker Architect unknown Exterior Wall Fabric wood clapboard and sningie Outbuildings- none Major Alterations (with dates) none See attached map.
Condition poor: significant deterioration of some sheathing Moved Date Acreage less than 1/4 acre Setting Early 20th century,urban, multi-family, residential street. UTM REFERENCE 19/269290/4680510 USGS QUADRANGLE Worcester South SCALE 1:25,000 Recorded by Michael Steinitz Organization for MHC Date December 1988 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The George Fontaine Three-Decker possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. It is significant for its association with the development of the Vernon Street corridor as a stylish single- and multi-family residential district on the crest of Vernon Hill in Worcester's ethnic East Side. It is also a remarkably ornate and wel1-detailed example of gambrel-roof three-decker design popular locally in the early 20th century.
The Fontaine Three-Decker thus meets criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places on the local level. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe impertant architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. Architecturally, 141 Vernon Street is an unusually ornate and finely-detailed example of gambrel roof style three-decker design popular in the second and third decades of the 20th century. The house has the typical side-hall plan with side-wall jog. On the asymmetrical main facade, a three-tier porch is integrated into a smaller gambrel portico that projects out from the gambrel face on the third story. The porch is supported by multiple Tuscan columns on the first tier. Shingled piers on the second tier frame an open central balustrade. On the third tier there is a semi-circular opening with a central keystone.
The gambrel apex has a semi-circular light with keystone insets. On the main facade, the porch is flanked by a two-story bay window with unusual 25/1 sash. Long shed dormers are located on the thira story gambrel roof. Side walls have triple windows with unusual, small rectangular and diamond pattern lights. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the comsunity. Built ca. 1918, the George Fontaine Three-Decker was part of the continued development of fashionable multi-family residences along the Vernon Street street-railway .= corridor on the crest of Vernon Hill, in Worcester's ethnic East Side. The first owner of the house was George Fontaine, an inspector, who lived here through 1930. The only tenant listed here in 1918 was Mrs. Harry Harper.
Tenants in 1920 included Israel Feingold, a partner in Saul H. Feingold, dealers in woolens and manufacturers of cloaks; and Norman Nield, a machinist for the Norton Company. In 1930, tenants included Charles Gallagher, a timekeeper; Mrs. Catherine 0'Connor; and John Flaherty, a mixer for the Norton Company. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Worcester Directory, Worcester House Directory, 1918, 1920, 1930. L.J. Richards, Atlas of the City of Worcester, 1922. J. Callahan et al., Worcester Three-Decker Survey, 1981. 8/85 nes Form 100000 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number - Page_ Worcester Three-Deckers MRA Worcester County, MASSACHUSETTS 21. Elm Street Historic District Substantive Review 22. Erikson, Knut, Three-Decker Entered in the National Register 23.
Euckid Avenue--Montrose Street HiStetisaDistttiet Mational Register 24. Fay Street Historic District 25. Flagg, Levi, Three-Decker Entered in the National Register Entered in the National Register 26. Fondainen George, Three-Decker Entered in the dational Register 27. Friberg, Andrew, Three-Decker 28. Giguere, Thomas, Three=Decker 29. Gullberg, Evert, Hause-Decker 30. Hadley, Gilbert, Hanse-Decker Entered in the National Register Intered in the National Register Entered in the National Register Entered in the National Register OMB Approvel No.
1024-0018 12/26/89 Date Listed Keeper Attest/ IKeeper Attest Keeper Attest i Keeper Attest V Keeper Attest V Reeper Attest bKeeper Attest |Keeper Attest 6Keeper Attest f Keeper Attest euage 070% AeluByar 0/9/9 Silou AulmuBgu 2/9/9 SelumBgan 2/9/91 AulmurByan2/9/9 Kubru Bgu3/9/91 Slor Ayen 219/56 Sulau Byer 219/96 AleluaByent419 UNTTED STATES DEPEPAEOTEROITRIOR NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Fontaine, George, 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: 89002447 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: COMMENT WAIVER: N VACCEPT RETURN ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: _REJECT 2/9/40 DATE Entered in the National Register 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 OTHER COMMENTS USGS maps photographs Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone presentation Signed Date GEORGE FONTAINE THREE D 141 VERNON STRET WORCESTER MA MHC # 1848 herostor Three Decker MBA Kodalux Processing Services MAY 89 N 4kgg 1 ao jl George Fontaine Three-Decker 141 Vernon St., Worcester MHC # 1848 TMON TROSE 3WAS WYHONIM 24300 VERNON TAIRBANS -M58 SP 415 N0LW30Lg PLAY HILL VERNON 1.00 Visan Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000305