Cahill House 42 Green St Worcester MA

Описание: http://www.secretcityinteractive.info

It is hard to imagine that this building shrouded in an anonymous 1960's metal grille, was built as the elegant home of an extravagant member of the city's Irish community. Completed in 1852, the house was built for a 34-year-old, Irish-born railroad contractor, John T. Cahill. Cahill's architect was Elbridge Boyden, who would later design Mechanics Hall. With a grand staircase, high ceilings, massive woodwork and marble fireplaces, this fine brick mansion cost more than $9,000 to build. Then, Cahill spared nothing to furnish it lavishly. We don't know what the furniture looked like, but we do know that it was expensive.

Recent research has shown that Cahill built his house on a vacant lot bought in 1850 from Irish-born contractor Tobias Boland. Boland was a major contractor for the Blackstone Canal and for numerous early railroads in the region. It was previously thought that 42 Green Street was Boland's own home. Instead, Boland's house stood next door to the north on the corner of Green and Temple streets.

At this time when the nation's railroad network was first being built, contractors like John Cahill could make a lot of money. He is said to have been socially prominent among Worcester's Irish elite,the city's well-to-do, educated, and professional Irish. Little is known of his background. However, the interests and the education of his daughter suggest that he may have been an educated man himself. Late 19th century Worcester historian, Richard O'Flynn wrote of her attainments:

His only daughter was an accomplished Scholar, Especially was she versed in the old tongue of her Sires, a rare Circumstance in those days to Say of any young Lady. She was also a fine musician and the writer recalls with pleasure an Evening spent with her in her home on Chandler St in 1857, when she played and sang the Sweet Melodies of Moore, and other well Known Irish poets, of all of which she Seemed to be a passionate admirer.

O'Flynn reports that Cahill was host to a festive gathering in about 1852 or 1853 honoring Thomas F. Meagher, the colorful Irish nationalist orator and leader of "Young Ireland". It was probably in Cahill's newly completed Green Street mansion that the group "Merrily and pleasantly passed the night with Story, Wit, and Genuine Irish humor".

Such descriptions of Cahill family social events suggest that life in the house at 42 Green Street may have been both refined and lively. Yet, Cahill's time here was brief. Having overreached himself with an expensive house and extravagant furnishings, his income may also have been affected unexpectedly by a nationwide economic downturn. So, soon he found himself far beyond his means. As a result, he lost the house and its contents to debtors. O'Flynn, tells us what little we know of Cahill after this setback:

In 1857 the family consisting of a wife and daughter moved to No. 57 Chandler St. where they remained 2 or 3 years, and then followed Mr. Cahill, who was somewhere in the West, at his business of RR Contractor, and reported to be getting rich again. Although an extravagant man… he is reported to be a very shrewd and intelligent man, active and energetic.

After Cahill lost the house, it enjoyed a long and dignified life from 1860 to about 1948 as the home, consecutively, of three medical doctors. They were, Dr. Anson Hobart, Dr. Michael J. Halloran, and Halloran's son, Dr. Edward Halloran. By 1948, the neighborhood had become largely commercial and the house was no longer desirable as a residence. Sometime in the early 1950's, 42 Green Street became the headquarters of the Polish American Veterans of World War II. Due to a dwindling membership, the club vacated the building in the late 1990's. It has been unoccupied ever since.

Cahill's house is the only survivor in what was once a row of three Green Street houses, all built as the homes of Irish-born railroad contractors. Once an important part of what seems to have been the "fancy" section of the city's mid-19th century Irish neighborhood, 42 Green Street is a rare reminder of an early period in the history of the city's Irish community and of the history of Green Street.

Thanks to Susan Ceccacci of Preservation Worcester for this content.

http://www.preservationworcester.org/

Like us on Facebook:   / secretcityworcester