Chamberlain-Bordeau House
Why it's listed
Set back from Main Street on a hilltop lawn with large old trees, this two-story, three-bay house in Southbridge is regarded as the town's best preserved Italianate residence. Built between about 1855 and 1870, it has a boxy main block, overhanging bracketed eaves, corner quoins, projecting window caps and a substantial entry porch with an arch motif. A period barn is attached, and the clapboard-clad house has been only lightly altered. The site first held an earlier dwelling belonging to Oliver Plimpton, shown on an 1855 map. The present T-plan house appeared on the 1870 county atlas as the property of Capt. John Chamberlain, an insurance agent. By 1898 it belonged to Gilbert Bourdeau, a box maker, who lived there until about 1920. Its construction coincided with a burst of housing near the Hamilton Woolen Company, including the neighboring mill agent's house and factory housing on nearby streets, which ties it to the town's mid-19th century growth.
Significance in brief: It is described as the best preserved Italianate residence in Southbridge, with little alteration and much of its original setting. It is also tied to the town's mid-19th century real estate development near the Hamilton Woolen Company. It meets criteria A and C at the local level.
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 89000569, listed June 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 718 Main St., Southbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | June 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000569 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Residential use; condition described as excellent, with no major alterations noted. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.08057, -72.04253 (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 89000569.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5069568
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.