Corcoran School
Also known as: School House No. 10; Walnut Street No. 10
Why it's listed
Corcoran School is a substantial red brick schoolhouse at the corner of Walnut and Church Streets in Clinton, Massachusetts, facing the four-acre town common. Boston architect Charles J. Bateman designed it in 1899, and it opened in 1900 as a public grammar school. Its slate roof, pedimented dormers, four corner cupolas, bluestone trim and Ionic-columned entrance portico blend Queen Anne form with Classical Revival detail. Inside, a cross-plan layout places a classroom at each corner of the first and second floors, and a third-floor assembly hall seated 450. The site had held two earlier schools, from 1846 and 1854. The new building had twice the footprint of its predecessor and was the town's largest grammar school, reflecting Clinton's rapid growth as a manufacturing center. It is notable for its role in the town's public education and as an intact example of turn-of-the-century school architecture. It was named in 1918 for John W. Corcoran, a longtime school committee chairman. The building is now vacant.
Significance in brief: The school is tied to Clinton's public school system and the town's growth as a manufacturing center, and it was by far the town's largest grammar school when built. It is also a representative, intact work of Boston architect Charles J. Bateman in a transitional Queen Anne/Classical Revival style. It is the only public school building still standing in the common's historic area.
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 00000039, listed February 4, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 40 Walnut St., Clinton |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | February 4, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000039 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1949 |
| Architect / builder | Charles J. Bateman |
| Architectural style | Late 19th/Early 20th Century Revival: Colonial Revival on a Queen Anne form |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The description notes a metal gate across the front portico to secure the vacant building; the interior retains its classrooms and third-floor assembly hall. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.41688, -71.68364 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 00000039.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5169852
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.