Dartmouth Street School
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Dartmouth Street Schoolhouse at 13 Dartmouth Street in Worcester is a brick grammar school designed by architect George Clemence. The western section dates from 1894 and features an entry tower with an arched entrance, roundels, tri-partite arched windows and a high pyramidal roof. The main body has tall arched window surrounds on the second storey, brick diapering, a slate-covered hip roof and eyebrow dormers. It is nearly identical to the central part of the Elizabeth Street Schoolhouse of 1891, also by Clemence. The school stood in a neighborhood that was extensively developed with three-decker apartment houses in the early twentieth century. In 1908 a two-storey addition extended the building eastward, repeating the arched window surrounds and brick diapering but topped with a flat roof and stepped parapet. Owned by the City of Worcester, the building still serves as a school and has not been altered since 1908. Its architectural character and its place in the neighborhood's growth support its listing.
Significance in brief: The building is significant for its architecture and for its role in community development. It is virtually identical to the central portion of the 1891 Elizabeth Street Schoolhouse, also by Clemence. It was built in an area that later filled with three-decker apartment houses, and its 1908 addition echoes the original decorative motifs.
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 80000546, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 13 Dartmouth St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000546 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | George Clemence |
| Architectural style | Eclectic |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Presently in use as a schoolhouse; unaltered since 1908. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.25796, -71.78102 (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.
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 80000546.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5225732
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.