Downing Street School
Why it's listed
Downing Street Schoolhouse, at 92 Downing Street in Worcester, was built in 1891 as a grammar school for the City of Worcester and was still used as a school when it was recorded in 1978. Designed by architect William R. Forbush and built by W. F. Dearborn at a cost of about $35,000, it is a brick building with a rectangular main body and a projecting central section. At the center is a semi-circular, tower-like bay containing the stairhall, flanked by two arched entries topped with tri-partite arched windows. Yellow brick trim and eyebrow dormers on the south side of the roof add detail. The building is considered an unusual example of Romanesque Revival design and resembles the Abbott Street Schoolhouse, also by Forbush. Little is known about Forbush, who appears as an architect in the 1886 directory only, though later building notices suggest he practiced in Boston. The building is recorded as unaltered and never moved.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an unusual example of Romanesque Revival architecture. It closely resembles the Abbott Street Schoolhouse, also designed by William R. Forbush. Its distinctive features include a semi-circular stairhall bay flanked by arched entries.
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 80000621, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 92 Downing St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000621 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect W. R. Forbush (William R. Forbush); built by W. F. Dearborn |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as present use school; owned by the City of Worcester; recorded as unaltered and not moved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.26300, -71.82512 (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 80000621.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5303206
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.