Castle Street Row-Boundary Increase
Also known as: Emma B. Gates Apartments
Why it's listed
Set on a hillside at 20-24 Castle Street in Worcester's Main South neighborhood, the Emma B. Gates Apartment Block is a six-unit brick apartment building in the Romanesque Revival style, built in 1887-1888. Its front facade has three brick pavilions with corbelled eaves and Classical cornices, separated by wooden porches that give each apartment an outdoor sitting area. The building stands on land once part of the Oread Collegiate Institute campus, sold off in pieces to pay the school's debts. Larkin N. Gates built row houses on Castle Street in the 1870s, and this block was the last building in the Gates family's development of the street. John B. Woodworth designed it. It was added to the Castle Street Row district because it is a largely intact example of Worcester's late 19th century apartment blocks and because its history, size and materials relate to the neighboring row houses.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is the last structure in the late 19th century development of Castle Street by the Gates family (Criterion A). It is also a substantially intact, representative example of late 19th century Worcester apartment construction and one of the more stylish works of architect John B. Woodworth (Criterion C).
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 01000120, listed February 16, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 20-24 Castle St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | February 16, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000120 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888-1950 |
| Architect / builder | John B. Woodworth, architect; H.G. Hoflin, builder |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The building is still used as an apartment building. The interiors of the apartments have been remodeled, but the main stair hall is well preserved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.26641, -71.79618 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 01000120.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5050306
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.