55 Pearl

The Bull Mansion/G.A.R. Memorial Hall is an extremely well preserved example of the High Victorian Gothic style. The solid masonry building, with its granite exterior and high-pitched roof and dormers, is an unusually fine example of late-nineteenth century American architecture. A distinctive contribution to its downtown street, the building is a rare reminder that this was once a residential neighborhood. Not only is the exterior intact and well preserved, but the major interior rooms of the building have been restored to an remarkably good state of preservation. Built in 1876, constructed as a professional residence for Doctor George Bull and his wife Sarah at a cost of $125,000, the house was the wedding gift from Daniel B. Wesson, father of Sarah. Wesson made his fortune in the gun manufacturing business, Smith & Wesson. The Bull Mansion was designed by the nationally renowned New York architect Calvert Vaux. The Mansion was the home and office for numerous physicians over the next two decades. In the early twentieth century, when Worcester's commercial district expanded, Pearl Street became less desirable as a residential neighborhood. In 1912, the mansion was sold to the Grand Army of the Republic, an association of Union veterans of the Civil War. The G.A.R. added a meeting hall and banquet hall, designed by Worcester architect, Stephen C. Earle, to the rear of the building. In the 1930's, ownership of the building was transferred to the City of Worcester to serve as a memorial and meeting place for veterans of all wars. The Bull Mansion/G.A.R. Memorial Hall is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places, being placed on the Register February 13, 1975.