Durfee High School - Fall River, MA - Former Schools on Waymarking.com

In Fall River, north of the center of the city, is a large stone building that once was the Durfee High School that is now a probate and family court house.

The former high school is in a block bounded by Rock Street, Cherry Street, Locust Street and High Street, in a mostly residential neighborhood. Parking may be at a premium, so watch for signs when looking for a spot. The building is prominetly placed on a ridge that runs north-south through the core of the city.

The building is a stone structure with four stories and two prominent features: a clock-bell tower and an old astronomical observatory dome. The main entrance is on Rock Street. There are many fine details to this building - worth doving some time to look around. The building still bears the name, engraved near the roofline - " AD - B.M.C. Durfee High School - 1886."

The building was a gift of Mary B. Young, in memory of her son, Bradford Matthew Chaloner (B.M.C.) Durfee who died at an early age. It was designed by George A. Clough, Norcross Brothers. It is made of Fall River and Mason, NH quarried granite. It was used as the city's high school until 1978, when a new high school, also named B.M.C. Durfee High School, was opened in another part of town. The building remained vacant until it was renovated in the 1990s and is now used as a probate and family court in Bristol County. It has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places.



Sources:

Bristol County ( Fall River Probate and Family Court): (visit link)

Wikipedia (B. M. C. Durfee High School-1886 Building):
(visit link)

Address: 289 Rock Street Fall River, MA United States of America 02720 Web Site: [Web Link]

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