Mechanics' Hall District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mechanics' Hall District
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Mechanics Hall
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Properties between 282 and 343 Main St., Worcester, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1854 |
| Architect | Boyden, Elbridge; Et al. |
| Architectural style | Renaissance, Italianate, Romanesque |
| MPS | Worcester MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000577 |
| Added to NRHP | March 05, 1980 |
The Mechanics' Hall District is a special historic area in downtown Worcester, Massachusetts. It's like a time capsule, showing how the city looked in the late 1800s. This district is found on Main Street, between Exchange and Foster Streets. It includes famous buildings like the Worcester Five Cents Savings Bank and Mechanics Hall. This important area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
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Exploring the Mechanics' Hall District
The Mechanics' Hall District is located in the northern part of downtown Worcester. It's west of the DCU Center and north of City Hall. This district has eight unique buildings. They stand on both sides of Main Street. The area stretches between Exchange and Foster Streets to the east, and Sudbury and Maple Streets to the west.
Mechanics Hall: A Cultural Gem
Right in the middle of this district, on the east side, is the famous Mechanics Hall. This beautiful building was finished in 1857. It was designed by a Worcester architect named Elbridge Boyden. The hall has an Italianate style, which means it looks like old Italian palaces. Today, Mechanics Hall is a major cultural spot in the city. Many concerts and events happen there.
Other Important Buildings on the East Side
North of Mechanics Hall, you'll find the large Central Exchange Building. It was built between 1895 and 1896. This building shows off a Renaissance Revival style, which means it brings back ideas from the European Renaissance. South of Mechanics Hall, there's an empty space. Beyond that is the Burnside Building, built in 1886-87. It was designed by architects from Boston.
Buildings on the West Side of Main Street
Across the street from Mechanics Hall, there are five more important buildings. The Flagg Building, built in 1854, is at the northern end. It's one of the best examples of Italianate office buildings in Worcester. Next to it is the Day Building, which was built between 1897 and 1906.
South of these, you'll see the 1891 Worcester Five Cents Savings Bank building. It was designed by Worcester architect Stephen Earle. Then there's the Central Building, built in 1925 in a Classical Revival style. This style uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings.
The very end of the district, to the south, has the former State Street Mutual building. It was built from 1894 to 1897. This building is special because it's thought to be Worcester's first real skyscraper. It has a strong steel frame and a Romanesque look on the outside.
Why This District is Special
Long ago, a much larger part of Main Street in Worcester had many connected commercial buildings. Over time, many of these old buildings were torn down to make way for new ones. This process is called urban renewal. Because of this, the Mechanics' Hall District is now one of the few places left that still has so many high-quality buildings from the late 1800s. It helps us remember what Worcester looked like in the past.
