Borden-Pond House
About this property
The Borden-Pond House is a historic house at 40 Laurel Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. Built about 1856 but probably not completed until 1861, it is a prominent early example of Second Empire architecture, and one of a small number of stone villas to survive (out of a larger number built) in the neighborhood. Lucius Pond, its second owner, was an important local machinist. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The Borden-Pond House stands in a residential area overlooking Interstate 290 on Worcester's east side, at the northwest corner of Laurel and Edward Streets. It is a three-story stone structure, set on a stone foundation partially exposed by the steeply sloping lot. The lower two stories of the main block are stone, with a cornice and roof skirt separating them from the third floor, which is framed in wood and finished in clapboards. The house originally had a mansard roof. A two-story ell extends to the rear; it is stone on the first floor and wood-frame on the second, with a gabled roof. The house is a rare survivor from a period when a number of stone villas were built in this area; most of them have been demolished. Construction on the house began c.1856–59, probably by John Borden, a mason and its first resident. According to local lore, Borden could not afford to finisht the building, and sold it to Lucius Pond in 1861. Pond was a leading local industrialist, who helped invent the Ellsworth repeating rifle. Pond was director of a local bank when rumors of its insolvency led to his flight in 1875. He was arrested in San Francisco, California, attempting to gain passage on a ship to Australia. Pond was convicted of forging bank notes, and spent seven years in prison. National Register of Historic Places listings in eastern Worcester, Massachusetts
Location
Categories
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.
Everything a full report reveals about Borden-Pond House
This page lists Borden-Pond House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Borden-Pond House listed on the National Register?
Borden-Pond House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1980.
What type of historic resource is Borden-Pond House?
Borden-Pond House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Borden-Pond House?
The period of significance for Borden-Pond House is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Borden-Pond House?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Borden-Pond House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Worcester County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Worcester County.
Explore WorcesterCounty ›More historic places in Massachusetts
Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.
View Massachusettshistoric sites ›Massachusetts history
Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.
Massachusettshistory ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Borden-Pond House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.