BlockBefore
Decorative drawing: a row of nineteenth-century main-street storefronts. Not a photograph of this place.

Crocker Field Historic District

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. A historic map-sheet match is not published yet. The record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary.

From the record

“The writer feels that this article would be incomplete, and subject to just criticism should no mention be made of some of those good men who have passed on, to whose integrity and farsightedness is due, to such a large extent, the honorable place occupied by our banks in the financial world today. Within a decade there have been many changes among the officials of the banks.”

Fitchburg : a Quality City : a Manufacturing and Mercantile Review (1912). Machine-read text.

one of 500 National Register listings in Worcester County · listed in 2001 · category: District · one of 1 National Historic Landmarks in Worcester County.

Sources: the county history on the Internet Archive · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

  • What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 4 buildingss, 4 objectss, 3 sitess, 3 structuress as contributing to the listing.
  • Address. River St., Fitchburg, 01420
  • When was it listed? 2001-06-14
  • Category. district
  • Township. Fitchburg city
  • National Register reference number. 01000651 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

The ground it stands on

115,443 words

The chapter on Fitchburg City in Fitchburg : a Quality City : a Manufacturing and Mercantile Review, published 1912 names Fitchburg. This is what it says, exactly as the scans read.

In this respect an old saw comes to mind, "the exception proves the rule;" for whatever may be the state of affairs in some municipalities, it is certain that since the Tenney interests took control of the Fitchburg Gas Electric Light Co. no community has received better service or been afforded accommodations superior to what Fitchburg is receiving.

Passage source: Fitchburg : a Quality City : a Manufacturing and Mercantile Review, published 1912.

The original gas company in Fitchburg was formed in 1853, and electricity was introduced in 1890. The Tenney interests, controlling gas or electric companies in sixteen cities, came into possession in 1909, and the officers are C. H. Tenney, Springfield, president; A. B. Tenney, first vice-president; D. E. Manson, second vice-president; Palmer York, treasurer; H. T. Sands, general manager; and Clifton R. Hayes, local manager.

Passage source: Fitchburg : a Quality City : a Manufacturing and Mercantile Review, published 1912.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Fitchburg City - 115,443 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.

Fires near this property

153 since 2015

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 153 fires within 5 miles of Crocker Field Historic District between 2015 and 2020, burning about 109 acres in total. 2 started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning66
Missing data/not specified/undetermined55
Smoking17
Recreation and ceremony6
Power generation/transmission/distribution3
Fireworks3
Natural2
Arson/incendiarism1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
8 September 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
7 September 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
5 September 2016Debris and open burningunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
5 September 2015Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
4 September 2015Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
4 September 2015Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
3 September 2017Debris and open burningunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
24 September 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined3.4 acresMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire ControlMONOOSNOC HILL

Every fire recorded in Worcester County

Specimens collected near this property

12 of 643 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 643 specimens collected within 10 miles of Crocker Field Historic District between 1870 and 1974: 292 Animalia, 181 Plantae, 155 Fungi, 6 Unrecorded, 6 Chromista, 3 Protozoa. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. B. Seymour, A. F. Newton, A. Ferrett and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Image SpeciesYear Collected by Where, as recorded
Specimen of Athyrium filix-femina subsp. angustum (Willd.) R.T.ClausenAthyrium filix-femina subsp. angustum (Willd.) R.T.Clausen1900DavenportPine Hill; Medford
A photograph of the species Carex maritima, not of this specimenCarex maritima Gunnerus1870J. W. CongdonWellville
A photograph of the species Hylesinus aculeatus, not of this specimenHylesinus aculeatus Say & T., 18241872unknownFitchburg
A photograph of the species Carex foenea, not of this specimenCarex foenea Willd.1878W. BoottWachusett Mountain
A photograph of the species Sibbaldiopsis tridentata, not of this specimenSibbaldiopsis tridentata (Aiton) Rydb.1879Bailey, W.W.summit of Mt. Wachusett
A photograph of the species Papaver orientale, not of this specimenPapaver orientale L.1880unknownTownsend.
A photograph of the species Hypericum gentianoides, not of this specimenHypericum gentianoides (L.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.1881Fredrick L SargentLunenburg
A photograph of the species Botrychium multifidum, not of this specimenBotrychium multifidum (S.G.Gmel.) Rupr.1882Manning, Sara M.Ashby
A photograph of the species Aecidium Pers., not of this specimenAecidium Pers.1883Sargent, F. L.Lunenburg, Mass. [Massachusetts]
A photograph of the species Aulacomnium heterostichum, not of this specimenAulacomnium heterostichum (Hedw.) Bruch & Schimp.1883not recorded
Arthuriomyces peckianus (Howe) Cummins & Y.Hirats.1892W. B. Hosmer
Phyllosticta kalmicola (Schwein.) Ellis & Everh.1894H. L. Jones

All 643 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this property

2 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 2 workings within 5 miles of Crocker Field Historic District: 1 occurrence, 1 past producer. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Tin, Lithium, Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Fitchburg AreaTin, LithiumOccurrence
Szocik PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Worcester County

Storms near this property

26 since 1995

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Fitchburg, the town this property stands in, in 26 storm reports between 1995 and 2024: 16 thunderstorm wind, 5 flash flood, 2 hail, 2 flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 2007FloodFitchburg$500,000Major flooding occurred along the North Nashua River in Fitchburg. A crest of 8.6 feet was recorded at 530 am on the 16th (flood stage is 6.5 feet). This may have surpassed the previous record high crest which occurred in April, 2007. Widespread flooding was reported along the river in Fitcburg, where several roads were impassable. Minor flooding occurred along the Blackstone River in Northbridge, where the river crested at 10.3 feet at 315 pm on the 16th (flood stage is 9 feet).
October 2016Flash FloodFitchburg$75,000Three to five inches of rain fell within the matter of a few hours during the evening of October 21 which resulted in prolific urban flash flooding in Worcester and surrounding areas. ||In Worcester, flash flooding made roads impassable and there were many reports of cars stuck in floodwaters and people needing rescue. Roads flooded included Cambridge, Chandler, Bancroft, Park, Harding, Hammond, Highland, Summer, Lincoln, Green, Grove, Bridge, Irving and Ellsworth Streets, as well as Goldthwaite Road, Pleasant Terrace, Major Taylor Boulevard, Shore Drive, and Park Avenue. One portion of Cambridge Street near Kansas Street was reported to be flooded with water 7 feet deep! MLK Boulevard flooded up to an underpass bridge in a low lying area. Several other streets were reported to have floodwaters over 4 feet deep, including Country Club Boulevard. Over 20 cars were reported stuck in floodwaters at the intersection of Highland Street and Park Avenue. Plantation Street from Oakhurst Street to I-290 was flooded with water up to 4 feet deep. Significant flooding was also reported on 122A as well as I-290, with floodwaters up to SUV tire height reported. Several vehicles were stuck in floodwaters on I-290.||In Fitchburg, flash flooding closed a section of the John Fitchburg Highway and a car was stuck in flood waters on Shelley Avenue. In Leominster, flash flooding closed the intersection of Washington Street and Grove Avenue as well as McKay Street entering the hospital. In Lancaster, Main Street was flooded and impassable while in Shrewsbury, Route 9 at Oak Street was flooded up to the tops of car tires.||No injuries were reported due to the flash flooding.||Due to the ongoing drought conditions, stream and river flows were well below average and the excessive amount of rainfall did not produce flooding.
September 2014Thunderstorm WindFitchburg$50,000Trees on Myrtle Avenue, Ross, Arcadia, and Townsend Streets were downed by thunderstorm winds. A downed tree on Myrtle Avenue was downed onto a house.
March 2006LightningFitchburg$50,000no account filed
June 2010Thunderstorm WindFitchburg$40,000Multiple trees in Fitchburg and Leominster were downed by thunderstorm winds. Ringer and Prospect Streets in Leominster were blocked by fallen trees and one tree fell on a car in Fitchburg.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindFitchburg$20,000Wires were blown down on Mount Elaf Road.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindFitchburg$15,000no account filed
August 2020Thunderstorm WindFitchburg$6,000In Fitchburg, a tree was down on a house at Brigham Park. Trees and poles were down on Ashby State Rd.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindFitchburg$5,000A tree on High Street was downed by thunderstorm winds, blocking the street.
September 2014Thunderstorm WindFitchburg$5,000Power lines on South Street were downed by thunderstorm winds.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindFitchburg$5,000Trees near Route 2 East Exit 27 were downed by thunderstorm winds.
September 2016Thunderstorm WindFitchburg$3,000A large branch was downed onto a car, blocking Hope Street.
October 2020Thunderstorm WindFitchburg$1,300In Fitchburg, a tree and wires were down on Ash Street and a one foot diameter branch was down on Milk Street, with wires down.
December 2022FloodFitchburg$1,000In Fitchburg at 1219 PM, a Twitter video showed substantial street flooding on John Fitch Highway.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindFitchburg$500In Fitchburg, a tree landed on a roof at the 50 Block of Central St.
July 2023Flash FloodFitchburg-In Fitchburg there was structural damage to Birch St. Large sections of asphalt were lying on the road with rushing water.
August 2017Flash FloodFitchburg-Water two feet deep was reported on State Route 31 north of Fitchburg.
August 2015HailFitchburg-Penny to quarter size hail fell in Fitchburg.
June 2007HailFitchburg-Nickel to quarter size hail reported in Fitchburg.
February 1997Thunderstorm WindFitchburg-A peak wind gust to 62 mph was recorded by the automated weather station at Fitchburg during a severe thunderstorm. Quite a few power lines were reported down throughout the city of Fitchburg, but power outages were brief.
July 2001Thunderstorm WindFitchburg-no account filed
September 2001Flash FloodFitchburg-no account filed
May 1998Thunderstorm WindFitchburg-no account filed
March 1998Flash FloodFitchburg-no account filed
July 1995Thunderstorm WindFitchburg-no account filed
July 1995Thunderstorm WindFitchburg-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Worcester County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

From the nomination file

16,621 words on record

When this property was proposed for the National Register, someone wrote the case for it: what the building is, and why it matters. That document is a federal record in the public domain. It is quoted below word for word, never summarised. The text was read off the scanned case file by machine, so the occasional stray character is the recogniser's and the 1970s typewriter's.

Statement of significance

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.) x A Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. _ B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past. x C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction. _D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

Criteria Considerations (Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.) Property is: _A owned by religious institution or used for religious purposes. _ B removed from its original location. _C a birthplace or grave. _D a cemetery. _E a reconstructed building, object, or structure. _F a commemorative property. _G less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past 50 years.

Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the significance of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) Worcester County and State Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions) ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION Period of Significance 1918-1951 Significant Dates 1918 DEDICATION OF COMPLEX 1924 COMPLETION OF ADDITION Significant Person (Complete if Criterion B is marked above) Cultural Affiliation N/a Architect/Builder Landscape architects Olmsted Brothers; Percival Gallagher, project manager 9.

The whole case file for this property - 16,621 words, 74 pages, reproduced complete.

Quoted from the National Register nomination for reference 01000651, 74 pages, held by the National Archives in Record Group 79. See the catalogue record.

Listed places nearby

6 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Photograph PropertyDistance Listed
Fitchburg Yarn Mill0.6 miles2016
Calvinistic Congregational Church0.8 miles1979
Fitchburg Historical Society0.8 miles2003
Fay Club0.9 miles1978
Safety Fund National Bank1.0 miles2009
Leominster High School4.7 miles2021

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 01000651 in Record Group 79.
Worcester CountyAll 500 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

  • Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
  • Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
  • How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.