Goulding, W.H., House
Why it's listed
This two-storey frame house at 4 Dix Street in Worcester is a Greek Revival residence on a rock-faced granite foundation. Its three-bay facade has a side-hall entry and is framed by corner pilasters that support an entablature and cornice, which continue across the gable to form a pediment. An open first-storey porch rests on four fluted Ionic columns, and the main entry has a pilastered frame, sidelights and an original four-panel door. Clapboard covers the exterior. The house was built between 1847 and 1849 at 26 Harvard Street for Henry Goulding, a machinery manufacturer who founded the Worcester Mechanics' Association. Around 1850-1851 his woolen machinery business was bought by Willard, Williams and Company, possibly at a large profit. Goulding then moved the house to Dix Street and built a large Italianate mansion on the Harvard Street site. The Dix Street house was sold to Samuel Bemis in 1850 and later passed to his son-in-law David Whiting Eames. It was included in Worcester's citywide survey of historic resources.
Significance in brief: The house is recorded as an example of Greek Revival architecture, with a side-hall plan, pedimented gable and Ionic porch. It is also tied to Henry Goulding, a machinery manufacturer and founder of the Worcester Mechanics' Association. Its move around 1850 relates to the sale of his woolen machinery business.
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 80000566, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4 Dix St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000566 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the form says the building is unaltered, though it was moved from Harvard Street in 1849-1850. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.26949, -71.80286 (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 80000566.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715904
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.