House at 59-63 Crystal Street
Why it's listed
This two-and-a-half story house at 59-63 Crystal Street in Southbridge, Massachusetts, was built between about 1899 and 1904 as multi-family housing. It stands in a neighborhood of mixed industrial and residential character close to the American Optical Company. The front section follows the gable-front, side-hall plan that was the most popular house form in Southbridge and central Massachusetts throughout the second half of the 19th century. Its main decorative elements are the porches, added after 1904, and the shingle trim in the facade gable. Clapboards cover the exterior, and a shed stands on the lot. The house is typical of the larger dwellings that replaced smaller cottages built in the area during the 1870s and 1880s. Around the turn of the century, several existing houses on Crystal Street were enlarged and new ones, some of them multifamily, were constructed as the company grew and the town's eastern section expanded. It was listed for its local architectural and historical importance.
Significance in brief: The building is significant as an example of multi-family housing built during the rise of the American Optical Company and the growth of Southbridge's eastern section in the late 19th century. It is representative of the larger houses that replaced earlier cottages near the company. It is significant at the local level under criteria A and C.
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 89000584, listed June 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 59--63 Crystal St., Southbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | June 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000584 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate/Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded in good-fair condition and in residential use; porches were added after 1904, possibly in the early 20th century, and a non-contributing shed stands on the property. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.07487, -72.02738 (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 89000584.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914421
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.