Chamberlain, Charles, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1876 at 372 Pleasant Street in Worcester, this two-and-one-half-story house is regarded as one of the city's finest and most ornate examples of Victorian Gothic architecture. It has a side-hall, gabled facade and clapboard walls. Its decorative woodwork includes gable aprons with trefoils, quatrefoils and pendants, bargeboards with spindles supporting pointed arches, gabled window hoods, vertical sheathing, and an open porch on thin columns topped with stylized foliate capitals. As is common in Victorian Gothic design, the Gothic features are ornamental rather than structural. The first occupant, Charles Chamberlain, co-owned Copeland & Chamberlain, a firm that made mowing machines and extension dividers and also offered machine repairs. City atlases show the house once stood closer to South Russell Street, suggesting it was moved between 1922 and 1938 to make room for the Advent Christian Church on the east end of the lot. The architect is unknown, and the woodwork remains in superb condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of Worcester's finest and most ornate examples of Victorian Gothic architecture. Its decorative woodwork, including gable aprons with trefoils and quatrefoils, bargeboards, window hoods and a porch with foliate capitals, is described as exceptional and in superb condition. The Gothic elements are decorative rather than structural.
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 80000596, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 373 Pleasant St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000596 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Residential use; the form says the woodwork is in superb condition and the house is unaltered, though it was moved on its lot in the early 20th century. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.26352, -71.81496 (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 80000596.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5076173
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.