Sylvester Dresser House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sylvester Dresser House
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 29 Summer St., Southbridge, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | c. 1870 |
| Architectural style | Gothic, Italianate |
| MPS | Southbridge MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000523 |
| Added to NRHP | June 22, 1989 |
The Sylvester Dresser House is a special old house located at 29 Summer Street in Southbridge, Massachusetts. It was built a long time ago, between 1865 and 1870. This house is a great example of a building style called Italianate, but it also has some cool Gothic features. Because it's so unique and important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
About the Dresser House
The Sylvester Dresser House sits in a neighborhood near downtown Southbridge. It's a two-and-a-half-story building made of brick. The house has a strong Italianate look. This style often includes a flat or low-sloped roof and a blocky shape.
What Does It Look Like?
The house has a very solid, square shape. It features three sections on the front. You'll see a rounded archway for the entrance. There's also a heavy balcony, which are common Italianate details.
However, the roof lines are quite steep. This is a hint of the Gothic style. Some of the decorations also look like "Stick style." This means they use straight lines and shapes, which are more Gothic. Using brick for the house was a bit unusual for the area. But it makes sense because the owner, Sylvester Dresser, owned brickyards.
Who Was Sylvester Dresser?
The house was built for Sylvester Dresser. He was a very important businessman in Southbridge. This was during the second half of the 1800s.
Dresser started his career as a schoolteacher. But he soon began many different businesses. He ran these businesses from the 1840s to the 1860s. In 1865, he started a brickyard. Eventually, he owned three brickyards. These were in Southbridge and nearby Dudley.
Sylvester Dresser was also famous for something else. He made the very first shipment of goods by train. This happened when the railroad came to Southbridge in 1866. His shipment was a load of bricks! He also helped the city a lot. He held many public jobs for Southbridge.
