Ezra Rice House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ezra Rice House
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Location | 1133 W. Boylston St., Worcester, Massachusetts |
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Area | less than one acre |
Built | c. 1833 |
Architectural style | Greek Revival |
MPS | Worcester MRA |
NRHP reference No. | 80000507 |
Added to NRHP | March 05, 1980 |
The Ezra Rice House is a historic home found at 1133 West Boylston Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was built a long time ago, likely between 1833 and 1845. This house is a rare example of two old architectural styles blending together: Federal and Greek Revival. Today, many of its original outside details are covered up by newer materials. Because of its historical importance, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
What Does the Ezra Rice House Look Like?
The Ezra Rice House is in a neighborhood in the northern part of Worcester. It sits on the corner of West Boylston Street and Wilbur Road. This house is two-and-a-half stories tall and made of wood. It has a pointed roof, called a gabled roof. The outside of the house is now covered with modern siding.
Exploring the House's Design
A two-and-a-half story section extends from the back of the main house. This part connects the old house to a newer garage. The front of the house, which faces West Boylston Street, has three sections. The main door is on the right side. The windows on the left are not placed in a perfectly even way.
The front entrance is the most interesting part of the house. It still shows off its original Greek Revival style. The door has tall, narrow windows on each side, called sidelights. It is set back slightly into the wall. The entrance is framed by flat columns, known as pilasters. Above the door, there is a decorative border called a corniced entablature. This entrance looks almost exactly like the one on the Charles Newton House in the same city. Its design was inspired by ideas published by a famous architect named Asher Benjamin in 1830.
Who Was Ezra Rice?
Because the Ezra Rice House is far from the center of Worcester, we don't know much about its early history. Records show that Ezra Beamon Rice lived here starting in 1851. He was likely part of the Beamon family, who were important in the nearby town of West Boylston. Not much information about him is found in Worcester's old records.