Fitchburg Historic Districts

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Moran Square is home to a striking granite building, long a home to shops and apartments. It is also where you will find Fitchburg's Spanish-American war monument, called "The Hiker", by renowned Boston artist Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson, first created in 1906. It is also home to an original Worcester Car diner, the Moran Square diner. Nearby, you will find a new portrait mural honoring Fitchburg industrialist, Iver Johnson.

2. The Fitchburg Train Depot

The current Purple Commuter Line in Massachusetts runs from Wachusett through Fitchburg to the North Station in Boston. It was created this way to make commuter travel more convenient for the people. The history of this line connects to the early railroad construction in the state, in which the Fitchburg Train Deport served as an important hub. The initial construction began in the 1840s and lasted through1870s. Here is the story of the Fitchburg Train Depot.

3. H. M. Francis Historic Overlay District

This entry is about H. M. Francis and his architectural contributions to the town of Fitchburg, MA. He was a famous architect that made dozens of buildings over several decades. Many of those years he spent working with his sons Fredrick and Albert F., rebranding his firm as "H. M. Francis and Sons." This entry also delves into the buildings of his that are on Main Street.

4. Monument Park Historic District

The Monument Park Historic district is a nationally recognized historic district, accepted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The district includes the park as well as many buildings surrounding it, such as the Armory, former YMCA, demolished Trinitarian Church, and Christ Church. The district also includes three levels of government, being the Federal Post office, County Court house, and city Library. The buildings included in the district are ones that are important to the history of Fitchburg, such as buildings designed by architects Henry M. Francis and Richard Upjohn, as well as buildings important to the Civil War. The district was largely constructed as a display of civic pride and has become a source of community identity.

5. Trinitarian Church

This entry contains information on the Trinitarian Church that was demolished in the city of Fitchburg. It covers how the church came to be, it's backstory and any changes it went through. This entry also explains its effects on the city as a whole, why it was an important monument, and what it ultimately represented.

6. Academy Street Educational District

Academy Street Educational District is composed of four different buildings and one walkway. These include: 1) Academy Street School, now the Fitchburg High School Annex, built in 1869; 2) Fitchburg High School, constructed between the years 1936 and 1937 and which remained as Fitchburg’s High School until the year 2000; 3) Fitchburg City Stable that was constructed in the year 1885; 4) Brown, B. F. Junior High School built in 1922; and 5) Wallace Way, a monumental staircase built and dedicated to Rodney Wallace in 1902.

7. The Fitchburg City Hall

Built in 1852, the Fitchburg city hall is an example of the continuous changes to the community. As the city has grown, the building containing the city government has grown with it. Many changes have taken place to accompany the expanding city, including new sections having to be built. It stands as a physical representation of the ever changing city’s history.

8. Lucy Helen Hospital

Fay Bigelow Crocker founded the Lucy Helen Memorial Hospital in 1918 during the time of the influenza epidemic but its main purpose was to serve the women of Fitchburg. The three-story brick mansion was built by Abiel Towne who manufactured wool around the 1870s. At first, it was just a home for her and her husband, C.T. Crocker II, but they soon opened it up. In 1922 it was used as a private maternity hospital and was named Lucy Helen hospital after Fay Crockers’ mother Lucy Bigelow and her husband's mother Helen Crocker.

9. Upper Common, facing First Parish Church

The Upper Common was originally owned by the First Parish Church of Fitchburg. (Their 1837 building faces the head of the Common.) They deeded the land to the city in 1882. It is now preserved as the Upper Common Historic District. The city immediately began to improve the space into a verdant green space in a city that was otherwise crowded with factories, homes, and shops.

10. Crocker Field, athletic field

This athletic field with its stands and buildings was designed by landscape designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Sons. It opened in 1918 for use by the Fitchburg High School teams. It is home to one of the longest football rivalries in America, the Fitchburg vs. Leominster Thanksgiving Day game. The annual game is a vital holiday tradition in the Twin Cities and served as an important introduction to American culture via football for many of Fitchburg's first generation immigrant families.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Fitchburg Historic Districts

Created by J.J. Sylvia IV on May 27th 2022, 2:29:17 pm.

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Description

This walking tour explores the historic districts in Fitchburg, MA. The tour largely follows along Main Street with a few detours down side streets. Several of the historic locations such as the Train Depot and Lucy Helen Hospital have been demolished, though historical images of these locations are provided. This project was a collaboration of the Fitchburg Historical Commission, The Douglas and Isabelle Crocker Center for Civic Engagement, and Dr. J.J. Sylvia IV's COMM 1105 Introduction to Communication Media Spring 2022 course.

Entries on This Tour

Fitchburg Historic Districts

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