Bancroft Hotel facts for kids
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Bancroft Hotel
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View from Portland and Franklin Streets
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| Location | 50 Franklin Street, Worcester, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1912 |
| Architect | Esenwein & Johnson |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| MPS | Worcester MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000614 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Expanded | 1925 |
| Closed | 1964 |
| Added to NRHP | March 5, 1980 |
The Bancroft Hotel is a really old and important building in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was built in 1912 and made bigger in 1925. For many years, it was one of the fanciest hotels in the city! The building shows off a cool style called Beaux Arts. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Today, it's not a hotel anymore. It has been turned into nice homes and is now known as Bancroft on the Grid.
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What Does the Bancroft Hotel Look Like?
The old Bancroft Hotel is in the middle of downtown Worcester. It faces the Worcester Common and City Hall. This building is super tall, with ten floors! It's made from a strong steel frame, covered with brick, terracotta, and stone.
Cool Architectural Details
- Ground Floor: The very bottom floor has cool arched walkways facing Franklin and Portland Streets. These arches are made of shiny marble.
- Second Floor: Above the arches, the second floor has special windows. They are surrounded by fancy terracotta designs.
- Middle Floors: Floors three through seven look pretty much the same. They have simple, rectangular windows.
- Corner Design: The parts of the building at the corners are made of light-colored stone. This makes them stand out from the darker brick.
- Top Floors: The eighth floor has even more detailed window designs. A fancy ledge, called a cornice, separates it from the ninth floor. The ninth floor also has a big cornice on top.
A Look Back at the Bancroft Hotel's History
The Bancroft Hotel was built by a businessman named Frank A. Dudley from Niagara Falls, New York. It was managed by a company called United Hotels.
Who Designed This Grand Hotel?
The hotel was designed by architects Esenwein & Johnson from Buffalo, New York. They used the Beaux Arts style, which was popular for grand buildings. The hotel was finished in 1912. It cost over $1.2 million to build back then! That was a huge amount of money.
Why Is It Called Bancroft?
The hotel was named after George Bancroft. He was a famous historian and politician from Worcester.
Famous Visitors and Important Dates
In 1952, a future president, John F. Kennedy, visited the hotel. He was running for a Senate seat in Massachusetts at the time. He even attended a women's tea party there!
The Bancroft Hotel was a working hotel until 1964. In 1980, it was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical building. Today, it's one of the tallest buildings in Worcester.
