Cobb, George, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1875 at 24 William Street in Worcester, this two-and-one-half-story house is an ornate, unaltered example of Victorian Gothic design. It rises from a rock-faced granite foundation to a slate-covered hip roof with a decorative gabled pavilion at the center. The main entry sits in the first story of that pavilion, framed by an ogee arch and clustered columns, and is flanked by three-sided bay windows joined by an open porch whose railing is pierced with quatrefoils. The gable has an apron with trefoils and bargeboards ending in quatrefoils, and the dormers carry similar trim. Side windows have gabled caps with incised decoration on the first floor and moulded caps on consoles above. The first occupant was George Cobb, a fish and oyster merchant, whose ownership continued into the early twentieth century. The house was listed for its architectural character and its well-preserved original detail. The architect is unknown.
Significance in brief: The form describes it as an ornate and unaltered example of Victorian Gothic architecture, with detailing such as ogee arches, quatrefoil railings and decorated bargeboards. It was first occupied by George Cobb, a fish and oyster merchant who kept the house into the early twentieth century.
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 80000571, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 24 William St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000571 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence; the form says the building is unaltered and has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.26744, -71.80580 (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 80000571.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5538005
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.