Ascension-Caproni Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ascension-Caproni Historic District
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Washington St., Newcomb St, Thorndike St. & Reed St. Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| NRHP reference No. | 100004335 |
| Added to NRHP | December 23, 2019 |
The Ascension-Caproni Historic District is a special area in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It has many different kinds of buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s. These include homes, shops, and even old factories. This district shows how the area changed from a place with many industries to a place where more people lived between about 1850 and 1930. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019 because of its important history.
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Exploring the Ascension-Caproni Historic District
The Ascension-Caproni Historic District is found in the Lower Roxbury part of Boston. It stretches along the south side of Washington Street, between East Lenox Street and Thorndike Street. It also includes parts of Newcomb and Thorndike Streets. This area covers about 5 acres (2.0 ha) (which is about the size of five football fields!).
What Makes This District Special?
This district is unique because it has many different types of buildings. There are ten main buildings here. The oldest ones are three homes built in the Italianate style. You can find them at 1900-1904 Washington Street.
One important building is the former Church of the Ascension. It is now called the Grant AME Church. This church was built in 1892 from yellow brick. It has a special design called Gothic Revival, which is not very common in this area.
The district also includes old industrial buildings. For example, there was the office and studios of the Caproni Brothers Plaster Casting Company. This company was famous for making copies of old Greek and Roman statues. They copied original statues from museums. Some of their famous copies were even shown in Symphony Hall, Boston.
A Look Back in Time: How the Area Changed
The Lower Roxbury area was mostly farmland a long time ago, during the colonial period. It started to be developed more in the mid-1800s. At first, it was a mix of homes and factories. The homes were for the workers who worked in the nearby factories.
Early Days and Growth
In the 1850s, streetcar service started in the area. This helped the neighborhood change. More middle-class families started to move in and build homes.
Changes Over the Years
This growth slowed down around 1873 due to an economic downturn. After that, more homes for working-class families were built. The shops and businesses along Washington Street grew to serve these new residents. The Church of the Ascension was built to serve the many Irish immigrants who lived there.
Many of the old rowhouses (homes built in a row) that were common in this district were later taken down. This happened during city improvement projects in the mid-to-late 1900s.
