{"nrhp_refnum":"92000043","name":"Bigelow Tavern Historic District","other_names":[],"category":"district","location":{"address":"60, 64 and 65 Worcester St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"West Boylston","county":"Worcester County","state":"MA","lat":42.36517500000005,"lon":-71.78120178195766,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1992-09-24","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Commerce","Exploration/Settlement","Architecture","Social History"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 1.6-acre district of three contributing and five non-contributing buildings on both sides of Worcester Street in West Boylston, Massachusetts, made up of a tavern, a store and a distillery built between the 1780s and 1811.","why_significant":"The three buildings formed the only commercial center of the original West Boylston town center from about 1810-1811 until the mid-19th century, and stayed in one family for four generations. The tavern also served as a social, political and business gathering place and offered churchgoers warmth between Sunday services. Ezra Bigelow, who ran it from 1811 to 1822, held several town offices.","narrative":"Along Worcester Street in West Boylston, a small group of buildings marks what was once the town's only commercial center. The district covers about 1.6 acres and holds three contributing buildings: Bigelow's Tavern, a store and a distillery, all dating from roughly the 1780s to 1811. Five later sheds and a garage do not contribute. The tavern is a timber-frame, two-and-a-half-story structure with a center chimney, granite foundation and a main facade facing south. Its molded cornice, corner quoins and projecting window caps relate it to the Georgian style. The store and distillery are simpler vernacular buildings. Originally owned by Major Ezra Beaman, the properties stayed in one family for four generations. Ezra Bigelow took out an innholder's permit in 1811 and operated the tavern until 1822 while serving as town clerk and selectman. Taverns like this one worked as local news exchanges and meeting places, and this one also warmed churchgoers between Sunday services. The district is valued for that early commercial and social role.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Colonial: Georgian; Early Republic: Federal; Vernacular","criteria":[],"status_note":"Historic functions were tavern, general store and distillery. Current uses are single dwelling, secondary structure and museum.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:13:05.160617-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/64/7972/63797264/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/92000043.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/92000043/a63de9c7e3-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/92000043/a63de9c7e3-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger)","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WB_Historical_Soc.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger)</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WB_Historical_Soc.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63797264","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigelow_Tavern_Historic_District","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4906820"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/worcester-county/bigelow-tavern-historic-district-92000043/"}