Bentley, George, House
Also known as: Bentley-Jackson Cottage
Why it's listed
Built in 1849-1850, this one-and-one-half-story cottage at 9 Earle Street in Worcester is regarded as the city's best remaining example of Carpenter Gothic design. It has a steeply pitched roof, a side-hall plan, and open porches on the east and west sides with chamfered posts, brackets and turned balusters. Bargeboards, label mouldings and gabled dormers cantilevered through the eaves survive intact. In the 1880s a second storey was added to the bay window, along with gable shingling, a new front door and an entry hood, all in the Queen Anne style. These changes are seen as part of the building's evolution rather than intrusions. John Bartlett bought the vacant lot in June 1849, built the house, and sold it in May 1850 to George Bentley and Daniel H. Jackson, clerks for the Nashua Railroad superintendent. The cottage is the best-preserved survivor of the suburban development at the base of Chandler Hill in the 1840s and 1850s.
Significance in brief: It is described as Worcester's best remaining example of Carpenter Gothic architecture. Its Gothic features are largely intact, and later 1880s Queen Anne additions are seen as evolutionary rather than intrusive. It is also the best-preserved survivor of the early suburban cottage building at the base of Chandler Hill in the 1840s and 1850s.
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 80000560, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 9 Earle St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000560 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John A. Bartlett, builder |
| Architectural style | Carpenter Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a residence; the form notes 1880s alterations, including a second-storey bay window addition, decorative gable shingling, and a new front door and entry hood. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.27132, -71.79082 (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 80000560.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5536918
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.