Colburn School
Why it's listed
Colburn School is a modest two-story brick schoolhouse on Lawrence Street in Lowell, Massachusetts, completed in 1848 to a Greek Revival design by Jacob Graves, a local grammar school principal. A broad pedimented gable with modillioned cornices faces the street, and granite lintels and sills trim the regularly spaced windows. Named for educator Warren Colburn, it opened as the city's ninth grammar school during a period when textile mills drew rapidly growing numbers of workers and their children. Its interior was reorganized in 1863 into eight classrooms when a graded system was adopted, and it later also housed a teacher training school. It served as a school until 1992 and is now vacant, with some alterations such as Victorian door hoods and a fire stair. It was listed for its role in Lowell's educational development and as a well-preserved example of Greek Revival public architecture.
Significance in brief: The school illustrates the mid-19th century growth of Lowell's public school system as textile industry population surged, and it adopted progressive educational methods. It is also a well-preserved example of Greek Revival design, one of three 19th-century Lowell schools judged worthy of individual listing.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 94001592, listed May 19, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 136 Lawrence St., Lowell |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | May 19, 1995 |
| Reference number | 94001592 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1848-1920 |
| Architect / builder | Jacob Graves |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used continuously as a school until 1992; now vacant and used for storage, needing considerable exterior repairs. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.63974, -71.30401 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 94001592.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5141992
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.