Robinson and Swan Blocks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Robinson and Swan Blocks
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 104–108 Pleasant St. and 1–3 Irving St., Worcester, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | c. 1884-85 |
| Architect | Fuller & Delano |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic |
| MPS | Worcester MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 16000208 |
| Added to NRHP | March 5, 1980 |
The Robinson and Swan Blocks are two special buildings located in Worcester, Massachusetts. They are called "mixed-use" buildings because they have both shops or offices on the ground floor and homes on the upper floors. These buildings were constructed around 1884. They were designed by the architects Fuller & Delano. The buildings are great examples of a style called Victorian Gothic architecture, made with bricks. They were recognized as important historical places and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Contents
Discovering the Robinson and Swan Blocks
The Robinson and Swan Blocks are found a short distance west of downtown Worcester. They stand at the corner of Pleasant and Irving Streets. Both buildings are made of brick and are three stories tall. They look very much alike, almost like twins! The main difference is how their ground floors look from the street.
The Robinson Block: A Look at Its Design
The Robinson Block faces Pleasant Street. It has five sections across its front. On the ground floor, there are large display windows for shops. A main entrance is set back in the middle. The parts of the building that stick out slightly on the upper floors are in the center and on the ends. The top of the building has a decorative brick border.
Windows and Details of the Robinson Block
The middle section of the Robinson Block has two windows on each floor. On the second floor, these windows have special stone tops called lintels. The windows on the outer sections have single windows with similar stone tops. The windows on the third floor in these sections have slightly rounded tops.
The Swan Block: Its Unique Features
The Swan Block faces Irving Street. It is similar to the Robinson Block but has a different feel on the ground floor. This block looks more like a home, with regular windows instead of large shop displays. It also has a more fancy entrance.
Who Built the Robinson and Swan Blocks?
The land where these buildings stand used to be the home of George Swan, who was a lawyer. In 1884, Mr. Swan decided to build these two structures on his property. He hired the local architecture company, Fuller & Delano, to design them.
Early Owners and Their Use of the Buildings
The next year, George Swan sold the Robinson Block to a doctor named Joseph Robinson. Both Mr. Swan and Dr. Robinson used their buildings for both their work offices and their homes. It seems they might have also rented out extra living spaces in the buildings to others.
