Alexander, Arad, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1845 in the Greek Revival style, this two-story frame house at 53 Waverly Street in Worcester is regarded as one of the city's most elaborately decorated buildings of its type. A temple front of four Corinthian columns supports a pediment with an entablature and modillioned cornice, masking a three-bay side-hall facade. The house rests on a rock-faced granite foundation. Carved details include Corinthian capitals on the columns and corner pilasters, tongue and dart and egg and dart mouldings, acanthus modillions, window hoods on consoles and a Corinthian entry. These features suggest the work of Elias Carter, although no link to him is known. The house's early history is unknown. It was moved to its present site in 1867-1868 for Arad Alexander, a truckman who owned the firm Alexander & Martin, probably one of many houses moved as downtown Worcester's commercial district expanded. Later changes, a new front door and wooden shingling, do not interfere with its important features.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the most elaborately decorated examples of Greek Revival architecture in Worcester. It has a temple front with four Corinthian columns and finely carved details. The carving resembles the work of architect/builder Elias Carter, though no connection to Carter is documented.
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 80000544, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 53 Waverly St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000544 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; carved details suggest the work of Elias Carter, though no connection is known |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; altered with a new front door and wooden shingle siding in the mid-20th century. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.25670, -71.79211 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 80000544.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4783604
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.