J.M. Cheney Rental House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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J. M. Cheney Rental House
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 32 Edwards St., Southbridge, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Vernacular Victorian |
| MPS | Southbridge MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000564 |
| Added to NRHP | June 22, 1989 |
The J. M. Cheney Rental House is a special old house located at 32 Edwards Street in Southbridge, Massachusetts. It's a great example of a Victorian-era home that has been kept in very good condition. This house shows off many different architectural styles all at once!
It was built in the late 1800s. This was a time when the Hamilton Street area was changing. Larger homes owned by wealthy people were being replaced. In their place, smaller, more closely built houses for middle-class families were constructed.
This house was built for J. M. Cheney. He was the treasurer of the Litchfield Shuttle Company. Mr. Cheney owned several properties in this area. He even owned the house next door, called the Kinney House. He also lived nearby himself. While we don't have exact proof, it's very likely this house was built to be rented out to others.
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The J. M. Cheney Rental House: A Historic Home
The J. M. Cheney Rental House is a historic building. This means it's important because of its age and unique features. It helps us understand what homes looked like long ago. The house is located in the town of Southbridge, Massachusetts.
What Makes This House Special?
The basic design of the J. M. Cheney Rental House was common for its time. It has a "three-wide side-hall plan." This means it's three windows wide on the front. It also has a hallway running along one side.
However, what makes this house truly special is its decoration. The house combines several different architectural styles. This mix of styles makes it a "vernacular Victorian" house. This means it's a local, everyday building that still shows off popular Victorian design ideas.
A Mix of Architectural Styles
You can see many different styles on this house!
- Italianate Style: Look at the tops of the windows. They have special caps. There's also a round window in the gable (the triangular part of the roof). These details come from the Italianate style.
- Gothic Style: The house also has a steeply pointed dormer. A dormer is a window that sticks out from the roof. This sharp, pointed shape is typical of the Gothic style.
- Stick Style: The ends of the gables are decorated with patterns. These patterns look like sticks or timbers. This is a feature of the Stick style.
- Queen Anne Style: The front porch is very decorative. It has turned posts, which are shaped like fancy spindles. There are also brackets that support the roof of the porch. The railing, called a balustrade, has a decorative rectangular pattern. These elements are found in the Queen Anne style.
National Recognition
Because of its unique history and architecture, the J. M. Cheney Rental House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This is a list of places in the United States that are considered important to history. Being on this list helps protect the house and recognize its value.
