Cambridge Street School
Also known as: Cambridge Street Schoolhouses nos. 1 & 2
Why it's listed
Three building campaigns shaped this school complex at 510 Cambridge Street in Worcester. The oldest part, completed in 1869 from plans by Elbridge Boyden, is a two-storey brick building with a third storey under a slate mansard roof, a symmetrical facade with projecting center and end pavilions, an original entry porch and decorative brickwork at the cornice. It is described as the only Second Empire school house in Worcester to escape major alteration. In 1890 a second, free-standing brick schoolhouse with a square plan, hip roof and brown sandstone trim was added at the rear, using Romanesque Revival features. A three-storey brick and tile Gothic style addition followed in 1916. The school served South Worcester, which grew after Southbridge Street was extended in the mid-1850s and as railroads, industry and carpet manufacturing drew residents. Classes continued until 1976, and the city sold the property in 1978.
Significance in brief: The 1869 front section is described as Worcester's only Second Empire school house to have escaped major alteration. It was designed by Elbridge Boyden and resembles his other larger school buildings. The additions reflect population growth in South Worcester as industry and carpet manufacturing expanded.
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 80000484, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 510 Cambridge St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000484 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Elgridge Boyden (1869) |
| Architectural style | Second Empire (1869); Romanesque Revival (1890); Gothic Revival (1916) |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is vacant; the school remained in use until 1976 and the city sold the property in 1978. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.24374, -71.80996 (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 80000484.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5025542
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.