Odd Fellows' Home (Worcester, Massachusetts)

Odd Fellows' Home
The historic building, 2006 photo
Location104 Randolph Rd., Worcester, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°17′56″N 71°47′51″W / 42.29889°N 71.79750°W / 42.29889; -71.79750
Area7 acres (2.8 ha)
Built1890
ArchitectBarker & Nourse
Architectural styleLate Victorian
MPSWorcester MRA
NRHP reference No.80000513[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 05, 1980

The Odd Fellows' Home is a historic Odd Fellows charitable home at 104 Randolph Road in Worcester, Massachusetts. Opened in 1892, it continues to serve as a home for elderly and disabled operated by Odd Fellows Home, Inc. Its original campus, now demolished, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[1] It is now housed in a modern facility, opened in 1990, with 100 beds, located on the same property.

Location and building history

The Odd Fellows' Home is located in northeastern Worcester, a short way east of Interstate 190 and the Greendale Mall, at the corner of Barber and Randolph Streets. The land for the facility was donated in 1890 by Thomas Dodge, a prominent local patent lawyer, who eventually donated 24 acres (9.7 ha) in all, in order ensure "ample light and air" for the residents.[2]

The original main building was a large three story brick building built in 1890-92 to a design by Barker & Nourse. The most prominent feature was a projecting 5-1/2 story mansard-roofed tower with round-topped clock dormers projecting from the half story mansard. The front bays were divided by brick pilasters, and a single-story porch extended across part of the front. To this building's right (east) was the first major addition, added in 1902; it was a 2-1/2 story brick Classical Revival structure that increased the facility's capacity to 110 beds. Its facade had limestone quoining, and it had a Classical Revival entry porch with Tuscan columns.[2]

The old facility was sold in 2012 to a development firm, and was demolished in 2014 to provide added facilities to the adjacent Dodge Park Rest Home.[3] Materials from the building were salvaged for use in other settings.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ a b "NRHP nomination for Worcester Odd Fellows Home". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  3. ^ "Worcester's losing more than old buildings". Worcester Telegram. April 20, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  4. ^ "Company saves what it can from historic Odd Fellows Home" (PDF). Preservation Worcester. Retrieved September 21, 2015.