Abbott Street School
Also known as: Abbott Street Schoolhouse
Why it's listed
Abbott Street School is a brick grammar school at 36 Abbott Street in Worcester, built in 1894 and still used as a school when it was surveyed. William Forbush of Boston designed it, and local builder B.C. Jaques constructed it for $20,000. The main block is rectangular, with a central pavilion projecting from the east wall. At its center is a two-storey semi-circular bay, flanked by arched entries on the first floor and three-part windows on the second. The pavilion's arches, rock-faced granite trim and conical slate roof draw on Romanesque Revival design, while the trim on the main body is plainer and more utilitarian. The plan and details closely resemble Forbush's Downing Street School of 1891. In 1905-1906 a two-storey brick addition of similar design was built at the rear, designed by J. William Patston of Worcester. The school's architecture and its long role in the city's public education are the reasons for its recognition.
Significance in brief: The form checks architecture, education and community development as themes. The building is a Romanesque Revival school with a distinctive semi-circular central bay, closely resembling Forbush's Downing Street School of 1891. It remained in use as a school after its original construction.
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 80000595, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 36 Abbott St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000595 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect W.R. (William) Forbush of Boston; builder B.C. Jaques; 1905-1906 addition designed by J. William Patston of Worcester |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as present use school, owned by the City of Worcester; original use grammar school, with no change of use noted. Form states it is unaltered and has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.26291, -71.82136 (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.
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 80000595.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4664380
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.