Flagg, Benjamin, House
Also known as: Flagg, Benjamin II, Homestead
Why it's listed
This farmhouse at 136 Plantation Street in Worcester dates to about 1717-1718 and is among the oldest houses in the city. It is a timber-frame vernacular building with a central chimney, a center entrance and three windows across the facade, a type built by many of Worcester's earliest settlers. Its walls are shingled and the foundation is hammered granite. Benjamin Flagg II, a carpenter who began buying land in Worcester in 1717-1718, is believed to have built it. He later served as selectman, schoolmaster and county sheriff. His son Benjamin Flagg III, born in 1724, served in the French and Indian War and marched with the Minute Men on April 19, 1775, later rising to lieutenant colonel. The house was sold in 1850 to George S. Howe, who is said to have remodelled it, though the extent of the work is unknown. It has since been restored to look much as it did in nineteenth-century photographs, with a Colonial Revival door and a large south window added. It remains a residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the oldest houses in Worcester and a good example of the central-chimney, center-entrance, three-window facade type built by the city's early settlers. It is also tied to the Flagg family, including Benjamin Flagg III, a Revolutionary War officer. Its themes are architecture, settlement and social/humanitarian.
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 80000620, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 136 Plantation St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000620 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Probably none; Benjamin Flagg II, a carpenter by trade, is believed to have built it |
| Architectural style | Timber-frame vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Military, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence; described as recently restored, with a Colonial Revival door and a large multi-paned window added. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.35046, -71.78412 (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 80000620.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4888589
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.