O'Shea Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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O'Shea Building
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 7–15 Main Street, Peabody, Massachusetts, US |
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| Area | Less than one acre |
| Built | 1904 |
| Architectural style | Renaissance revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000710 |
| Added to NRHP | January 11, 1980 |
The O'Shea Building is a historic building in Peabody, Massachusetts. It was built in 1904 by Thomas O'Shea, a very important businessman in the city. This building is a great example of a style called Renaissance revival architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, which means it's a special place worth protecting.
Discovering the O'Shea Building's History
The O'Shea Building is located on Main Street in Peabody. It's right in the middle of the city's main business area. This building has two stories and is made from strong materials like brick, limestone, and granite. It shows off the fancy Renaissance revival style.
The building is about 160 feet (49 meters) long on Main Street. It also has a shorter side facing Nichols Lane. On the Main Street side, you can see three shop fronts on each side. In the middle, there's a slightly sticking-out arched entrance. This entrance leads to the offices upstairs.
A decorative metal band separates the shops on the first floor from the offices above. You can see this same kind of metal band above the second story windows too. The second floor has many arched windows. These windows are often grouped in pairs. They are separated by decorative columns called pilasters, which are attached to the wall. These pilasters are in the Corinthian order, a very fancy style.
Who Was Thomas O'Shea?
The O'Shea Building is one of two important buildings built by Thomas O'Shea. The other one is the Second O'Shea Building, which is right next to it. Thomas O'Shea was a very successful businessman in the early 1900s. He helped shape the city of Peabody.
When these buildings were first built, this part of Main Street was mostly homes. There were only a few small shops around. The first shops in the O'Shea Building included a pharmacy, a dry goods store, a grocery store, and a hat shop. Upstairs, there were professional offices and social clubs. These clubs included groups like the Grand Army of the Republic and the Knights of Columbus.
