Chadwick-Brittan House
Why it's listed
Located at 309 Lincoln Street in Worcester, this clapboard house dates to about 1797 and was built for Lydia Chadwick. It began as a residence and inn, known in local histories as the Chadwick Tavern and later the Chadwick Hotel, which opened around 1800. By 1833 it had stopped operating as an inn and was owned by A.D. Foster. In the mid-nineteenth century Josiah Brittan lived there; he owned extensive property around Adams Square and ran a brickyard nearby. Later owners included a blacksmith, George H. Lane, and Josiah Shattuck of the Worcester Truck Company. The house is two and one-half stories with a symmetrical center-entrance facade, a brick foundation, twin interior chimneys, and a long rear ell that keeps some original 6/9 sash. A Greek Revival doorway (about 1845) and Colonial Revival dormers and porch (about 1900) were added. It is described as one of Worcester's few well-preserved Federalist-period houses. It may have been moved slightly north in the 1880s or 1890s to make way for Shaffner Street.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as one of Worcester's few well-preserved Federalist-period houses. It also records its early use as the Chadwick Tavern or Hotel and its later ties to Josiah Brittan, a mid-nineteenth-century landowner and brickyard operator near Adams Square.
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 80000518, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 309 Lincoln St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000518 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federalist |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Residential use only from the mid-19th century to the present. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.28665, -71.78980 (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 80000518.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5066515
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.