Fernside-Vacation House for Working Girls
Why it's listed
Fernside is a hillside property on Mountain Road in Princeton, Massachusetts, built around a two-story Federal-style house of 1835. Wings were added in the mid-to-late 19th century, along with jig-saw-cut porches, and the house keeps its Classical doorframes, reeded trim and fireplace surrounds. A former barn converted to a playhouse theatre and a metal-clad garage complete the complex, which sits on about six and three-quarter acres with views toward Wachusett Mountain and the eastern horizon. The house began taking summer boarders in 1870, and in 1890 a Working Girls' Club opened it as a vacation inn. Under the leadership of Miss Allen, her family members and long-serving figures such as Dr. Alice Bassett, it offered city working women a rural retreat until 1989. The nomination suggests it may have been one of the earliest summer houses of its kind in the country. Its architecture, recreational use and social history support its listing. Later owners restored it and now operate it as an inn.
Significance in brief: It was a rural summer vacation house for working girls from about 1890 until it closed in 1989, and the nomination suggests it may have been among the earliest such houses in the United States. It is also significant for its Federal and Classical architecture and its role in social history and recreation, sustained by the Allen family and other dedicated volunteers.
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 02000695, listed June 27, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 162 Mountain Rd., Princeton |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | June 27, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000695 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1835-1952 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic/Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and rehabilitated by current owners; the interior has been adapted for use as a bed-and-breakfast inn. The vacation house closed in 1989. |
| Acreage | 6.7 |
| Coordinates | 42.46856, -71.88398 (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 02000695.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5445136
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.