URBAN WORCESTER 3

Worcester, Massachusetts 28 April 2009

While not entirely unique to Worcester, the older parts of this city reflect the housing needs of an industral and manufacturing economy. The "three decker" house is just that: three same exact floor plans placed on top of each other. Each floor being a house unto itself and containing three bedrooms, a living room, one bath, and a large "eat-in" kitchen. They were built close to the factories which generally occupied the shallow valleys of Worcester while the hillsides are populated with these structures. Most date to about 1900 or so, and are entirely wood frame construction. They were built in an era before cars, and most poeple walked to work or rode a trolley. While most were entirely rentals, sometimes the owner would live in one of the units and rent the other two. The above three decker probably looked just about the same when it was built as it does today....except for the four, yes, four TV dishes there on the middle floor.