National Register of Historic Places

Elm Street Historic District

Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Listed
February 9, 1990
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
89002374

About this property

The Elm Street Historic District encompasses a collection of high-style Queen Anne Victorian three-decker houses in Worcester, Massachusetts. Normally a building style intended for occupation by the working classes of the city, these stylish buildings were built 1904–06 facing Elm Park on the fashionable west side, and attracted a higher class of occupant. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. For most of the 19th century, Worcester's west side was the preferred neighborhood for the city's fashionable and upper-class residents. With the development of the trolley network into the area, it became a target for higher-end multiunit housing. Charles Bowker, a local real estate developer, built a series of five three-deckers in 1904-06 as rental properties on the south side of Elm Street, facing Elm Park to the north. Members of the Bowker family occupied one of the buildings, while the others were rented to mainly white collar workers, including real estate agents, bookkeepers, and accountants. Other developers also built similar houses along the same block. The historic district extends for most of a city block, extending along the south side of Elm Street between Hudson and Russell Streets. The nine buildings in the district are of wood frame construction, and follow the typical forms of three-deckers elsewhere in the city, albeit on a more generously sized scale. Front porches on several of the buildings extend across the entire front, and some wrap around to one side; several of these retain original elaborate balustrades. Two nearly identical buildings near the western end of the district feature project semicircular corner bays with conical turrets. National Register of Historic Places listings in northwestern Worcester, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places listings in Worcester County, Massachusetts

Location

132--148 Elm St.
Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
42.26601, -71.81696

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTEUROPEANARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

May Street Historic District
Pre Contact
0.1 mi
Wescott, John, Three-Decker
Industrial
0.2 mi
Pleasant Street Firehouse
Industrial
0.2 mi
Chamberlain, Charles, House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Hadley, Gilbert, Three-Decker
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Elm Street Historic District listed on the National Register?

Elm Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Elm Street Historic District?

Elm Street Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Elm Street Historic District?

The period of significance for Elm Street Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Elm Street Historic District?

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