Bloomingdale School
Also known as: Bloomingdale Schoolhouse
Why it's listed
Bloomingdale School, at 327 Plantation Street in Worcester, is a brick grammar school built in 1896 for the City of Worcester. The two-and-one-half-storey front section has a slate-covered hip roof and a symmetrical east facade. A central entry arch, with a keystone inscribed 1896, sits between two semi-octagonal bays. These bays resemble small towers, with recessed wall panels, arched second-floor windows, modillioned cornices and octagonal roofs topped by copper finials. Sandstone trim accents the brick. In 1916 a two-storey addition of red brick and sandstone with a flat roof added four classrooms to the original four; the addition had been part of the 1896 plan. Plans and elevations were published in school committee reports, but no architect was named, and the building may have come from a local firm. It is described as vaguely Romanesque Revival and has served as a school throughout its history. A separate 1928 Colonial Revival schoolhouse behind it is not part of the significance.
Significance in brief: The nomination points to its architecture, a vaguely Romanesque Revival design with two small tower-like bays flanking a keystone entry arch. It also notes its role in education and community development. No architect was named in the school committee reports, and no similar local school allows an attribution.
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 80000562, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 327 Plantation St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000562 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1896-1916 |
| Architectural style | Vaguely Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a school; the form records no alterations and no moves. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.27063, -71.77102 (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 80000562.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4928319
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.