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Lars Petterson-Fred Gurney Three-Decker facts for kids

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Lars Petterson-Fred Gurney Three-Decker
WorcesterMA LarsPettersonFredGurneyThreeDecker.jpg
Lars Petterson-Fred Gurney Three-Decker is located in Massachusetts
Lars Petterson-Fred Gurney Three-Decker
Location in Massachusetts
Lars Petterson-Fred Gurney Three-Decker is located in the United States
Lars Petterson-Fred Gurney Three-Decker
Location in the United States
Location 2 Harlow St.,
Worcester, Massachusetts
Area less than one acre
Built 1910
Architect Petterson, Lars
Architectural style Colonial Revival
MPS Worcester Three-Deckers TR
NRHP reference No. 89002368
Added to NRHP February 9, 1990

The Lars Petterson-Fred Gurney Three-Decker is a special historic house in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is known as a "three-decker" because it has three floors, each with its own apartment. This house was built around 1910 by Lars Petterson, a well-known builder in the area. It is a great example of a building style called Colonial Revival architecture. Because of its history and design, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

What is a Three-Decker House?

A three-decker is a type of apartment building that was very popular in New England, especially in cities like Worcester. These buildings have three separate apartments, one on each floor. They were built quickly and cheaply to house many people, especially factory workers and immigrants, during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Three-deckers helped cities grow by providing homes for lots of families.

A Look at Its Style

The Lars Petterson-Fred Gurney Three-Decker is located in the Brittan Square neighborhood of Worcester. It is a three-story building made of wood. The top floor has a special roof shape called a gambrel roof, which looks like a barn roof. The outside of the house is covered mostly with wooden clapboards.

The front of the house is not perfectly even. On the left side, there are porches on the first two floors. These porches have square posts and pretty arched shapes between them. The porch on the second floor has been closed in with glass. On the third floor, there is a porch tucked into a round arch under the roof. On the right side of the house, there is a window bay with many sides, like a polygon. These details show off the Colonial Revival style, which was popular at the time.

Who Built and Lived Here?

Lars Petterson built this house around 1910. He was a busy builder who constructed many other properties in Worcester. He owned this house himself for about ten years. Then, in the 1920s, he sold it to Fred Gurney. Fred Gurney worked as a superintendent at a wire factory.

The people who first rented apartments in this house likely worked in local factories. Many worked at the Norton Company factory in northern Worcester. Others worked in the nearby steel and wire factories. This shows how important these homes were for the city's growing workforce.

A Special Historic Home

The Lars Petterson-Fred Gurney Three-Decker is important because it is a good example of its architectural style and how people lived in Worcester. Being listed on the National Register of Historic Places means it is a significant part of American history. This listing helps to protect the house and recognize its value for future generations.

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