Cummings, E. B., House
Why it's listed
Built between about 1870 and 1878 at 52 Marcy Street in Southbridge, this clapboard house combines Greek Revival and Italianate features. Greek Revival details include paneled corner pilasters, sidelights and a transom at the front door, and a plain entablature on the sides. Italianate features include paired eave brackets, wide eaves, and a pitched roof. Later changes, such as a Stick Style porch, side porches and a second-story bay window, are judged not to detract from its period appearance. The house was one of four important residences at the corner of Marcy and Edwards Streets, part of a suburban estate district that developed west of the town center after Hamilton Street opened in 1850. Edwin B. Cummings, a partner in a Main Street hardware store, lived here. Because the other three houses have been covered with synthetic siding, this is the only unaltered one. Together with the nearby A. Kinney House, it recalls a neighborhood of handsome homes belonging to local businessmen and manufacturers.
Significance in brief: The nomination ties the house to the town's mid-19th century suburban real estate development west of the town center. It also treats the house as an adaptation of the Italianate style to the familiar gable-front form. It is the only unaltered one of four important houses built at Marcy and Edwards Streets between 1855 and 1878.
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 89000566, listed June 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 52 Marcy St., Southbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | June 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000566 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate/Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; condition is described as good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.07881, -72.03705 (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 89000566.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5321728
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.