National Register of Historic Places

Ash Street School

Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Listed
March 5, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80000542

About this property

The Ash Street School is a historic school building at 4 Ash Street in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. The Italianate style school was built as part of a wave of school construction in the city between 1848 and 1855, and is the city's second oldest surviving school. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is presently home to a local land conservation organization. The former Ash Street School stands in what is now a heavily industrialized and commercialized area south of downtown Worcester, on the north side of Ash Street west of Green Street. The lot it occupies is at the crest of a hill, making it highly visible. It is a square three story brick building with a low hip roof that has a deep bracketed cornice. Each facade has four bays, separated by piers that rise to corbelling just below the roof line. There are two entrances on each of the north and south sides, designed to provide separate entrances to boys and girls. It originally had a cupola, but that has been removed. The school was built about 1850 to a design by noted local architect Elbridge Boyden, and was part of a major program by the city to expand its school facilities. At the time of its construction, the area where it stands was a densely populated neighborhood; it has since been largely redeveloped for industrial uses. The school was featured in architectural publications of the period (although one somewhat quixotically described it as a multiunit residence). At the time of its listing on the National Register, it was serving as a storehouse. It is presently home to the Greater Worcester Land Trust, a land conservation organization. National Register of Historic Places listings in northwestern Worcester, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places listings in Worcester County, Massachusetts

Location

Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
42.25988, -71.67745

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Willard House and Clock Museum
Industrial
1.5 mi
Allen, Ethan, House and Gun Shop
Industrial
2.1 mi
Ward, Gen. Artemas, Homestead
Industrial
2.6 mi
West Main Street Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
2.9 mi
Lothrop, Joseph, House
Industrial
3.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Ash Street School listed on the National Register?

Ash Street School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Ash Street School?

Ash Street School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Ash Street School?

The period of significance for Ash Street School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Ash Street School?

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