FORM B - BUILpING Assessor's number I I Massachusetts Historical Commission I 69-467 USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number I I I H 191 Town Ma rlborough Place (neighborhood or village) Address 11 VVashington (JuJrt Historic Name Immaculate Conception Convent Uses: Present convent Original convent.;,,!.~ Date of Construction 1910 Source Chure,h and school records Style/Form Colonial Revival Architect/Builder lldknown Exterior Material: Sketch Map Draw a map of the area indicating properties within it. Number each property for which individual inventory forms have been completed. Label streets, including route numbers, if any. Attach a separate sheet if space is not sufficient ere. Indicate north. S~ o Foundation brick Wanrrrim wood clapboard and vinyl Roof not visible Outbuildings/Secondary Structures none Major AJterations (with dates) 3-story NF wing added ca 1940's; SF 1-sto1)' addition, N 1 10-8tm)' garage--mid-2oth century Condition good Moved [X] no [ ] yes Date N... /A Acreage less than one acre ecorded by Anne Forbes Organization for Marlboro Hist Camm Date 3/31/94 Setting In late-19th-c residential neighborhood at edge of Main $t commercial district Ie rectory and school to north. Iron picket fence, concrete retaining wall at front
BUILDING FORM ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION l l see continuation sheet Describe architectural features. Evaluate the characteristics of this building in terms of other buildings within the community. TIle Immaculate Conception Convent is a unique building type in. It is an extremely simple, three-story, five-bay square block with a high brick foundation. The flat or low-hipped roof (not visible from the street.) has a low parapet on the north side, and is marked by a cornice with large modillion blocks. The windows are primarily 6-over-6-sash, with molded surrounds. A small vertical 6-palle window is located on either side of the center entry, which has a glass-and-panel door in a narrow, recessed, fanlighted opening. The entry is sheltered by a narrow brokenpedimented hood on Tuscan columns, and approached by a set of wooden steps. The only other embellishment on the building is a narrow molded cornice, which, as in the three-story Federal buildings on which this design is based, rings the building below the third story windows. ) j HISTORICAL NARRATIVE [] see continuation sheet Explain history of the building. Explain its associations with local (or stale) history. Include uses of the building, and the role(s) the owners/occupants played within the community. \ I IL' Both of 's Catholic parishes established parochial schools around the turn of the century-st. Mary's in 1888, and Immaculate Conception in 1910. In 1900 the Rev. Thomas Lowney began the effort to establish an elementary school here that culminated in the establishment of the Immaculate Conception School. He also arranged for the Sisters of S1,Joseph to teach in the school, and had this building erected for their convent. (See Form #189). BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES [ ] see continuation sheet Bigelow, Ella. Historical Reminiscences of the Early Times in. 1910. Centennial '90: the City. Maps and Atlases: Sanboms. McCarthy, Claudia. "OUf Immaculate Conception Parish...a History, 1850-1976." 1976. [ X] Recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. If checked, a completed National Register Criteria Statement form is attached.
FORM B - BUILDING Massachusetts Historical Commission Assessor's Dumber USGS Quad Area(s) I 69-475 I I I I H Form Number I 190 Town Place (neighborhood or village) Address 17 Washington Court Historic Name Immaculate Concept jon Rectory Uses: Present priest's dwelling, parish house Original priest's dwe]]jng Date of Construction fa 1890 Source maps; style Style/Form Queen Anne. Architect/Builder unknown.. Exterior Material: Jketch Map Draw a map of the area indicating properties within it. Number each property for which individual inventory forms have been completed. Label streets, including route numbers, if any. Attach a separate sheet if space is not sufficient here. Indicate north. ':i 2. w ~ Foundation Wanrrrim Roof granite ashlar wood clapboard asphalt shingle Outbuildings/Secondary Structures Major Alterations none (with dates ),E.. n.. t1)' vestibule added; some windows replaced porch reduced in size and detail Condition good Moved [X] no [ ] yes Date N/A Acreage less tban one acre Recorded by Anne Forbes Aganization Date 3/31/94 for Marlboro Hjst Camm Setting In late-19tb.c residential.neighborhood Ie School to N ; convent to S Iron-picket fence on stone and concrete retaining wall at front; granite steps and walk at SW front
Massachusetts Historical Commission Community Property Address 11 Washington Court Area(s) Form No(s). H 191 National Register of Historic Places Criteria Statement Form Check all that apply: [ ] Individually eligible [ ] Eligible only in a historic district [x] Contributing to a potential historic district [] Potential historic district Criteria: [x] A [] B [x] C [] D Criteria Considerations: [x] A [] B [] C [J D [] E [] F [] G Statement of Significance by Forbes~/Schuler The criteria that are checked in the above sections must be justified here. The Immaculate Conception Convent meets Criteria A and C of the National Register. The four buildings of the Immaculate Conception complex articulate the social and economic development of the work force ill. The convent was constructed to house the Sisters who taught at the 1910 parochial school. The institutional Colonial Revival convent is consistent with the other buildings of the Immaculate Conception complex. The property retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.
BUILDING FORM' ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION [] see continuation sheet Describe architectural features. Evaluate the characteristics of this building in terms of other buildings within the community. One of the best examples in of the Queen Anne style in its pedimented, "Free Classic" mode, the Immaculate Conception rectory is a 2 112-storycross-gabled house with a two-story, twopart rear wing and a two-story hip-roofed wing on the south side. Hip-roofed dormers project from the roof plane on the front and sides. On the north side, a second-story bay, supported on decorative brackets, projects over a polygonal bay window at the first story. Two large high chimneys, adorned with decorative brickwork, rise from the north and south slopes of the roof. The house appears to retain an its Queen Anne decoration, including a band of stick-work and verticalboard panels at the base of the stories, a molded cornice above the first story and under the main gable, a water table at the foundation, and a molded, boxed cornice at the roof lines. Asman section of patterned shingle appears just under each gable. The main entry is through a southwest comer porch supported on square posts. (Map and photo evidence indicates that the porch originally had large Moorish arches and wrapped around the south end of the building.) The windows, typical of their time, are mostly double-hung, in pairs, with a 9-part divided upper sash and two-pane bottom sash. HISTORICAL NARRATIVE [] see continuation sheet Explain history of the building. Explain its associations with local (or state) history. Include uses of the building, and the role(s) the owners/occupants played within the community. The Church of the Immaculate Conception was built facing the old common just west of Washington Court in 1868-1871. A smaller Second Empire rectory, accessed by a long circular drive from Washington Street, stood just southeast of the site of this house by 1871, the only building on the large piece of parish-owned property that filled the space between Washington and Grant Courts. The property was purchased, possibly with the house already on it, by the Rev. John Delahunty. The present rectory was constructed under the Rev. Peter McKenna, who was pastor of the church from 1886 until his death in 1896. He also had the first bell tower, complete with clock, bell, and spire, erected on the church, and founded and edited a bi-weekly parish newspaper, the Star. The next priest to Jive here was the Rev. Thomas B. Lowney, who estabjished the Immaculate Conception School just to the north in 1910, and built the convent next door as a residence for the Sisters of S1, Joseph, who taught at the school. Father Lowney was succeeded by Monsignor James J. Phalan, Father John J. Fletcher, and, in 1943, the Rev. John J. Phelan. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES [ ] see continuation sheet Bigelow, Ella. Historical Reminiscences of the Early Times in. 1910. Centennial '90: the City. Maps and Atlases: Walker: 1889; Sanborns. Marlboro Historical Society: Moineau Photo Collection McCarthy, Claudia. "Our Immaculate Conception Parish,, Mass: a History, 1850-1976." [X] Recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. If checked, a completed National Register Criteria Statement form is auached.
Massachusetts Historical Commission Community Property Address 17 Washington Court Area(s) Form No(s). H 190 National Register of Historic Places Criteria Statement Form Check au that apply: [ ] Individually eligible ( ] Eligible only in a historic district [x] Contributing to a potential historic district (] Potential historic district Criteria: (x] A (] B [x] C [] D Criteria Considerations: [xl A [] B [] C [] D [] E [] F [:I G Statement of Significance by ForbesISchuler The criteria that are checked in the above sections must be justified here. The Rectory of the Immaculate Conception meets Criteria A and C of the National Register. The four building Immaculate Conception complex articulates the social and economic establishment of 's work force. The beginning of the Catholic parish in marked the arrival of the Irish immigrants, and construction of a new rectory after 1886 suggests the increasing size of the parish. The dwelling is one of the best examples in of this Queen Anne form. The property retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.
FORM B - BUILDING Massachusetts Historical Commission Assessor's number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number I 69-476 I I I IHI 189 Town Place (neighborhood or village) Address 25 Washington Court Historic Name Immaculate Conception School Uses: Present parochial elementary school Original paroc'bia1 school Date of Construction --a.1.... 9... 1O.L.- Source CbllTch and school records Colonial Revival unknown Exterior Material: Sketch Map Draw a map of the area indicating properties within it. Number each property for which individual inventory forms have been completed. Label streets, including route numbers, if any. Attach a separate sheet if space is not s'fj;ient here. Indicate north. VJ(!&tt1~ t-j~3 ~~'\ 3~T f-:\ O~ ~ o U If, Foundation granite Wallffrim brick Roof not visible Outbuildings/Secondary Structures none Major Alterations (with dates), Doors replaced; a"vning windows instal1ed-- ~~ ~!Ji 0 O:sO N late 20th century Condition goad Moved [X] no [ ] yes Date NTLA Acreage less than one acre Recorded by Anne Forbes Setting In 19th-early 20th.C residential Jrganization Date 3131/94 ; for Marlboro His! Comm area Faces west over paved playground IC rectory and convent to south. Iron fence on granite base along both street fronts
BUILDING FORM ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION [] see continuation sheet Describe architectural features. Evaluate the characteristics of this building in terms of other buildings within the community. Although it was not built by the city, the Immaculate Conception School is the earliest of 's distinctive group of five two-story, flat-roofed brick Colonial Revival school buildings. Like some of the others, it is arranged on an Hvplan, consisting of a symmetrical arrangement of a long central block with a wing across either end. Here the central emphasis is enhanced by a shallow, pedimented entry pavilion with a triple window above a classical recessed entry with a molded architrave and a molded and dentilated entablature adorned with sculptural ornamentation. A second entry on the north end is somewhat simpler, with a molded, projecting lintel. All the windows here are replacements, in the original wood-surrounded openings, for 12-over-12's and 9- over-s's, This building provides a good illustration of some of the experimental brick patterning that was typical of the period. The wall surface between the stories on the ends of the wings is embellished with geometrical designs of flat brick and either terracotta or lighter-colored glazed brick, and smaller recessed panels of patterned red brick occupy the space between the stories on the main block. The comers of the wings are articulated by double paneled pilasters, The horizontal lines of the building are emphasized by a wide stone band course above the basement level, and by a dentilated stone cornice at the base of the brick roof parapet. HISTORICAL NARRATIVE [] see continuation sheet Explain history of the building. Explain its associations with local (or state) history. Include uses of the building, and the roleis) the owners/occupants played within the community. J Both of 's larger Catholic parishes established parochial schools around the turn of the century-st. Mary's in 1888, and the Immaculate Conception in 1910. It was the Rev. Thomas Lowney who in 1900 began the effort to establish a school here that culminated with the dedication of this building in 1910. It designed to accommodate 400 students, from grades 1 through 8. Father Lowney also arranged for the Sisters of St. Joseph to teach in the school, and had the convent erected for their residence at 11 Washington Street. (See Form #191.) In 1952 the school was expanded to include a second building at the corner of Washington and Prospect Streets, on the site of the early Fitchburg Railroad depot. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES [ ] see continuation sheet Bigelow, Ella. Historical Reminiscences of the Early Times in. 1910. Centennial '90: the City. Maps and Atlases: Sanboms. Historical Society: Moineau Photo Collection. McCarthy, Claudia. "Our Immaculate Conception Parish...a History, 1850-1976,111976. [ X] Recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. If checked, a completed National Register Criteria Statement form is attached.
Massachusetts Historical Commission Community Property Address 25 Washington Court Area(s) Form No(s). H 189 National Register of Historic Places Criteria Statement Form Check all that apply: [ ] Individually eligible [ ] Eligible only in a historic district [x] Contributing to a potential historic district [] Potential historic district Criteria: [x] A [] B [x] C [] D Criteria Considerations: [x] A [] B [] C [] D [] E [] F [] G Statement of Significance by ~F~o,-""r b... e... s ~/Schul e... r The criteria that are checked in the above sections must be justified here. The Immaculate Conception School meets Criteria A and C of the National Register. The four buildings of the Immaculate Conception complex articulate the social and economic development of 's work force in the latter part of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth. The parochial school, which was started in 1910, is important for its articulation of the social patterns. The size of the school is consistent with the expanding Catholic population in from the 1860s through the early 1900's. The institutional building is the city's first two-story brick Colonial Revival school building, constructed prior to the four public elementary schools which would be of similar size and style. The property retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.