FORMA-AREA /' Assessor's Sheets / 'USGS Quad.-' I Area Letter Form Numbers in Area _6_9_, _81_~1 I I I 184, 136-141, 210-244 Town Place (neighborhood or village) city center Name of Area " Present Use residential; institutional Construction Dates or Period early 19th- to early 20th C. Overall Condition go_o_d _ '" --,/.: "~ J ~:r> -,.,.... Major Intrusions and Alterations some visible alteration: a few modern houses and apartments interspersed. Acreage ca. 10 acres Anne Forbes, consultant Historical Comm. Date (month/day/year) 8/15/94 "road Street: 9 : 1
AREA FORM ARCHITECfURAL DESCRIPTION [X] see continuation sheet Describe architectural, structural and landscape features and evaluate in terms of other areas within the community. In the century between 1790 and 1890, the ten acres of land along grew from a sparsely-settled section of the old oston Post Road to a fashionable, city-center residential district of over fifty large houses in a variety of nineteenth-century forms and styles. y the early twentieth century it was even more varied, as some of the oldest houses were removed for the building of Peabody & Stearns beautiful Renaissance Revival yellow-brick and stone Public Library of 1905 (see Form 84) and Howard Cheney's Federal Revival stucco Christian Science Church (Form #139), and several small stores were built on the western section. The two earliest houses here, the ca. 1819 Alden/Phelps House (Form 138) and the William Temple House of ca. 1835 (MHC #231), lend a late Federal period flavor to the area--the Alden/Phelps house in its interior corner chimneys, and the Temple house in its low-profile hipped roof. The 2 1I2-story three-bay Horatio Alger, Sr. House (Form #141) at 9 road Street of ca. 1845 and the large five-bay ca. 1855 Eugene Fortier (Foster) House at 167 West Main (Form 140) illustrate the Greek Revival period in their proportions, their wide friezes and cornerboards, echinus moldings, and, at the Alger House, a pedimented end-gable, full-length entry sidelights, and doors with two vertical panels. (Cont.) HISTORICAL NARRATIVE [X] see continuation sheet Explain historical development of the area. Discuss how this area relates to the historical development of the community. Although today is largely a fashionable nineteenth- to early-twentieth-century neighborhood, buildings at its eastern end replace several houses, artisans shops, and a store that were associated with 's development in the Colonial and early Federal periods. Here on the north side of what was formerly part of the oston Post Road, the major regional route west from oston, were three of the town's most significant historic houses, all demolished after 1900. The easternmost, the ca. 1785-90 home of the Rev. Asa Packard, (later the Caleb/Dennis Witherbee House), was purchased and tom down for the building of the Public Library in 1904-1905. The ca. 1790 William Arnold Homestead at the east corner of today's Winthrop Street, which for decades stood with Mr. Arnold's blacksmith shop beside it, was demolished by the Christian Science Society, which purchased the property in 1899 and built its church on the site in 1920. The large, gambrel-roofed home of the Rev. Packard's predecessor, the Rev. Aaron Smith, which stood just west of the Pleasant Street intersection, was built in about 1740. It was purchased in 1784 by Samuel Gibbon, a "trader" and shop-keeper who erected a store beside it. It belonged to the Gibbon family until the 1890's. (Cont.) ILIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES [ ] see continuation sheet igelow. Historic Reminiscences of. 1910. Hudson. History of the Town of, 1862. Hurd. History of Middlesex County. 1890. Maps, birdseye views, and atlases: 1803, 1830, 1835, 1853, 1857, 1871, 1875, 1878, 1889, Sanborns. directories and tax valuations. [ X] Recommended as a National Register District". If checked, you must attach a completed National Register Criteria Statement form. "(Part of area only--see Criteria Statement.)
INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Community Property Areats) ARCHITEcruRAL DESCRIPTION, cont. is one of the best places in to see examples of the vernacular Italianate style, some of them built quite early in the Italianate period. oth the Swift House at 57 West Main (Form 137) and the J.C. Rock House at 154 (MHC #236) may have been built before 1857, and #s 38, 42, 50, 86, and 120 are among several more that were standing by 1871. (MHC #s 211-213, 221, and 232). Several typically Italianate circular gable windows appear here, at #s 42, 57, 86, and 154; the Rock House also has a round-headed window in the side gable. Italian ate cornice brackets remain at #s 38, 42 and 57, and heavy, bracketed door canopies at 50, 100 (MHC #225), 155 (MHC #237), and 174 (MHC #239). #50 also has the square, chamfered posts that were popular on Italianate houses through the 1870's. The 1880's saw the introduction of the Queen Anne style to. The John Stone House at 49 West Main (Form 136) is one of its best examples anywhere in, with a high pyramid-roofed comer turret, jerkin-head gables, diagonal wall boarding, and patterned shingle. 159 West Main (MHC #238), with its high pyramid roof, rubble foundation, and pedimented wraparound porch on Tuscan columns best illustrates the Queen Anne of the 1890's. Several other houses offer more subdued examples of the "free-classic" interpretation of the later Queen Anne, including the twin-facade-gabled 63 (MHC #214), and several with pediments on the gable-ends or porches, such as 78,99, 110, 113, and 146. (MHC #s 219, 224, 227, 230, and 234). Four double-houses appeared here in the late 1880's, all of similar 2 1/2-story, four- to six-bay desigh, with a central facade wall- or roof dormer. The two Walker houses at 64 and 72 (MHC #s 215 and 216), and the C.F. Whitney House at 74/76 (MHC #217) all have paired entries. Several other tum-of-the-century types are illustrated here in isolated examples. 75 West Main (MHC #218) is an elegant, hip-roofed, three-bay two-story Colonial Revival house with full-height pilasters, and both an entry portico and a porte-cochere on fluted Doric columns. 97 (MHC #223) is essentially a three-bay Four-Square with a facade pavilion, and 5 Pleasant Street (MHC 222), another Four-Square, has one as well. oth have porches with Tuscan columns. 187 West Main (MHC #241) is an altered three-decker with a full-height polygonal bay window on the southeast facade comer. The first decade of this century is represented by two bungalows--l11, with an exterior rubble chimney, and 148/150, a shingle and stucco house with exposed rafter ends, verticalboard wall detailing, and bands of 6-over-6-sash windows. (MHC #s 228 and 235) Probably the latest significant house in the area, 103 West Main (MHC #226), is a Dutch Colonial Revival house of ca. 1925. Of the commercial buildings in the area, 190 and 201 West Main are two of 's many surviving examples of the small one-story, early twentieth-century "false-front" store, and 208, built at the end of the 1890's adjoining the entrance to the righam Cemetery, is a two-story false-front with two stores on the first floor. (MHC #s 242-244.)
INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Community Property HISTORICAL NARRATIVE, cont. Most of developed, as did other residential areas of center, from the late 1850's, (after the railroads had arrived, and the local shoe industry was undergoing its first period of rapid growth), through the beginning ofthe twentieth century. Three houses on the north side of the street, however, remain from at least the second quarter of the nineteenth century. 65-69 West Main, which appears on maps by 1830 under the name of "S. Alden", was apparently built for the Rev. Seth Alden, who succeeded Asa Packard as minister of the West Church in 1819. It was later the home of two of 's most prominent nineteenth-century citizens, Stephen and Elizabeth Phelps, who purchased the property in about 1835. The William Temple House at 115 West Main was probably built in about 1835 as well, and the house of yet another minister, the Rev. Horatio Alger, was built about ten years later at the comer of road Street, when he came to to preside over the West Church as its fourth minister. Perhaps the most well-known building in the area, this house was also the home of Horation Alger, Jr., one of the most popular American writers of the late nineteenth century, who spent his teen-age years here. With the exception of Pleasant Street, which was cut through to West Main shortly after 1806 and extended as South Street in about 1850, and road Street, which was apparently a new road when the Alger house was built, most of the side streets that intersect with West Main came into existence in the 1860's. Winthrop, Orchard, Gibbon, Grant, and Mt. Pleasant Streets appeared at that time, when, as the shoe industry expanded rapidly after the Civil War, the West Village to the north, and Mt. Pleasant Hill to the south began to fill with housing for the workers in the nearby factories. It was a time of development for, as well, where twenty more houses were standing by 1871. In contrast to the adjacent neighborhoods, however, most along West Main were fairly sizeable, fashionable residences built, not for shoeworkers, but for wealthier professionals in the community. ottler and liquor-dealer John C. Rock, for instance, who also owned a business block on Main Street, lived at 154, and John Hayes, his chief bottler, at 112 (MHC #229). Grocer D. Austin Walker lived at 38, and fruit-dealer Patrick Wall had a house and store at the west corner of Orchard Street. Two carpenter/builders, who probably constructed their own houses, lived here, as well: Winslow D. Walker of #50, and E.S. Hallett at 86 West Main. One of the earliest residents of the south side of the street, plumber EA. radley of radley & righam on Main and Lincoln Streets was Jiving at 32 West Main as early as 1857. The trend toward occupancy by business-owners, artisans, and other professionals on West Main Street continued through the turn of the twentieth century. In 1897, (by which time West Main was designated as a separate street, rather than a continuation of Main Street), the residents included John Stone, cashier of the People's National ank at 49 West Main, a physician, Camillus T. Warner, in #64, (the double-house built by building-mover W.A. Walker, who Jived at #42), saloonkeeper John P. rown at 76, and Superintendent of Streets James T. Murphy at 100 (MHC #225). There were two more carpenters here, David Nugent at 110, and George Charleton in a house since demolished, another grocer, Harry Whitman, who lived in the other Walker double-house at 70/72 In about 1880 a new school, the igelow School, was constructed at the east comer of Mount Pleasant Street; (it was later demolished when the 1931 igelow School on Orchard Street replaced it.) (Cont.)
INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Community Property HISTORICAL NARRATIVE, cont. y the 1880's a scattering of commercial enterprises had also appeared on, often housed in part of a residence. John Rock's son, Frank, who succeeded his father in the bottling and liquor business, also operated the West End Pharmacy at the west corner of South Street, and William. Temple had a residence and grocery store at 123 West Main (MHC #233), next door to the old Temple house. George Harrington sold ice cream at #184 (MHC #240), and S. Grenon had a shoe store at 204 West Main. In the large three-store block at 208 West Main, Josiah Fontaine operated a neighborhood grocery store. The names of some of these merchants indicate a later trend in the area, the presence, at the western end of the neighborhood, of owners and residents of French-Canadian descent, as 's French population grew and expanded south from "French Hill" at the end of the nineteenth century. The buildings discussed above and listed on the Area Data Sheet represent some of the most historically or architecturally significant resources in the area. There are several more historic properties located in the area, however. See Area Sketch Map for their locations.
INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Community Property AREA DATA SHEET NOTE: Although the inventory includes the entire area outlined on the Area Sketch Map, only resources which have individual forms, or are mentioned in text of the Area Form, have been given inventory numbers and are listed on the Area Data Sheet. As a rule, these represent the most historically or architecturally significant resources in the area. There are many more historic properties located within the area, however. (See Area Sketch Map for their locations.) Starred properties (*) have individual inventory forms). MHC# Parcel # Street Address Historic Name Date Style/type *141 81-21 9 road Street Rev. Horatio Alger House ca. 1845 Greek Rev. 222 69-131 5 Pleasant St. ca. 1900 Four-Square 210 69-198 32 West Main St. E. A. radley House 3rd quarter Italianate 19th C. 211 69-2 38 West Main St. A. Walker House ca. 1870 Italianate *84 69-223 35 West Main St. Public 1904-05 Library Renaissance Revival 212 69-207 42 West Main St. W. Walker House ca. 1870 Italianate *136 69-224 49 West Main S10 John Stone House ca. 1883 Queen Anne 213 69-204 SO West Main St. W. Walker House ca. 1870 Italianate *137 69-225 57 West Main St. Phelps(?)/Swift House ca. 1857 Italianate 214 69-226 63 West Main St. ca. 1890 Queen Anne 215 69-175 64 West Main St. Walker Double-Hse, ca. 1888 Q. Anne vemac. *138 69-227 65-69 West Main St. Alden(?)/Phelps House ca. 1819 Federal/Greek Revival 216 69-175 72 West Main S10 Walker Double-Hse. ca. 1888 Q. Anne vemac. 217 69-173 74/76 West Main S1, Whitney Double-Hse. ca. 1889 Q. Anne vemac. 218 69-228 75 West Main S10 ca. 1898 Col. Revival 219 69-169 78 West Main St. ca. 1895 Q. Anne
INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Community Property AREA DATA SHEET, cont. (Although the inventory includes the entire area outlined on the area sketch map, only resources which have individual forms, or are mentioned in text of the Area Form, have been given inventory numbers and are listed on the Area Data Sheet.) MHC# Parcel # Street Address Historic Name Date Stylel1ype 220 69-173 80 West Main St. Carley House ca. 1885 Q. Anne *139 69-229 85 West Main St. Christian Science Church 1920 Fed. Revival 221 69-171 86 West Main St..S. Hallet House ca. 1870 Italianate 223 69-137 97 (95) West Main St. ca. 1898 Col. R./Four- Square 224 69-136 99 West Main St. ca. 1900 Queen Anne 225 69-139 100 West Main St. Murphy House ca. 1880's Italianate 226 69-135 103 West Main St. ca. 1925 Dutch Colonial 227 69-140 110 West Main St. ca. 1889 Queen Anne 228 69-134 111 West Main St. ca. 1905 ungalow 229 69-141 112 West Main St. Hayes House ca. 1885 Queen Anne 230 69-133 113 West Main St. 1890's Queen Anne 231 69-132A 115 West Main St. William Temple Hse. 1830-35 Federal 232 69-144 120 West Main St. ca. 1870 Italianate 233 69-132 123 West Main St. Wm.. Temple ca. 1885 Astylistic house and store 234 69-171 146 West Main St. 1890's Queen Anne 235 81-129 148/150 West Main St. ca. 1905 ungalow 236 81-129 154 West Main St. J.C. Rock House late 1850's Italianate 237 69-70 155 West Main St. Rivers House ca. 1870 Italianate 238 81-1 159 West Main St. 1890's Queen Anne
INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Community Property AREA DATA SHEET, cont. MHC# Parcel # Street Address Historic Name Date Style/type *140 81-4 167 West Main St. Trull/Fortier House ca. 1855 Greek Rev. 239 81-124 174 West Main St. ca. 1870 Italianate 240 81-109 184(6) West Main St. Harrington House ca. 1870 Italianate 241 81-18 187 West Main St. ca. 1900 3-decker 242 81-108 190 West Main St. ca. 1902 False-front store 243 81-20 201 West Main St. ca. 1902 False-front store 244 81-103 208 West Main St. ca. 1898 False-front store
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Community Property Address district Form No(s). 84, 136, 137, 138, 139, 210-233, 263, Area M: 269-281 National Register of Historic Places Criteria Statement Form Check all that apply: [ ] Individually eligible [ ] Eligible only in a historic district [ ] Contributing to a potential historic district [x] Potential historic district Criteria: [x] A [] [x] C [] D Criteria Considerations: [] A [] [] C [] D [] E [] F [] G Statement of Significance by F_o_r_be_s_/,_S_ch_u_l_e_r The criteria that are checked in the above sections must be justified here. _ A potential National Register District, meeting Criteria A and C of the National Register, exists.along the lower section of from ates Avenue to Pleasant and South Streets, and could include, as part of its late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century residential component, Witherbee Street and Winthrop from West Main to Witherbee. This area embodies and articulates a distinct part of the community's residential and institutional history-the evolution of the original clustered seventeenth-century settlement west of the Town Common to become a stylish latenineteenth- and early-twentieth-century neighborhood for bankers, industrialists, and professionals at the town, and later the city, center. The district is anchored by Peabody & Steam's Renaissance Revival Public Library of 1905; another focal point is the Howard Cheney's Federal Revival stucco Christian Science Church of 1920. Contributing to such a district are all but one of the properties from the radley House at 32 West Main to the east comer of Pleasant Street, the first block of Winthrop, and all the houses on Witherbee Street.