Hartwell, Samuel C., House
Why it's listed
Brick walls, two turrets and a patterned polychrome slate roof give this house at 79 Elm Street in Southbridge a picturesque outline. Built between about 1870 and 1878, it is an early example of the Queen Anne style in the town, notable for its horizontal emphasis and high-quality construction at a time when Victorian Gothic designs were just becoming popular. Details include contrasting stone coursing, glazed brick arched panels over the windows, a projecting porch with stickwork ornament and heavy ornamental chimneys. The house replaced an earlier dwelling, built in 1818 and later used as a parsonage, that had been occupied by Dr. Hartwell and his father. Dr. Samuel Cyrus Hartwell (1820-1885) was a physician, a Civil War surgeon, longtime Town Moderator, a supporter of the public library and a state senator. Its massing resembles the neighboring Congregational Church and Town Hall, and it helped form an elegant neighborhood of large houses on spacious lawns. It remains in excellent, largely unaltered condition and now serves as church offices.
Significance in brief: The house is an early and unusually well-built example of the Queen Anne style in Southbridge, with horizontal emphasis, asymmetrical massing and two turrets. It is also tied to the town's mid-nineteenth century residential development around the Town Hall and Congregational Church. It is linked to Dr. Hartwell, a physician, Civil War surgeon, Town Moderator and state senator.
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 89000592, listed June 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 79 Elm St., Southbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | June 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000592 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is offices of a Catholic church; originally residential. Condition is excellent with no major alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.07290, -72.03479 (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 89000592.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7411035
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.