House at 70-72 Main Street
Why it's listed
Built between 1898 and 1904, this three-family house at 70-72 Main Street in Southbridge shows how multi-family housing was shaped as the town's eastern section grew. Its Colonial Revival design places the gambrel end toward the street, with a generous roof and broad dormers that create living space on the third floor. The profile reads more like a large single-family house than a typical three-decker, and fine stained ornament lifts it above ordinary working-class tenements. Through most of the 19th century this part of Main Street was a suburban estate district, later divided into smaller lots as the nearby American Optical Company factory prospered. The house and its neighbor to the east appear to have been built by company president George W. Wells. The house is known to have served as employee housing in the 1930s and 1940s, and it may have been built for that purpose. It remains a multi-family residence in good condition.
Significance in brief: It is an example of multi-family housing built during the growth of the town's eastern section in the late 19th century. Its gambrel-end form, broad dormers and fine ornament set it apart from typical three-deckers. It may also relate to American Optical Company employee housing, though the form says too little is known to confirm this for the early years.
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 89000581, listed June 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 70--72 Main St., Southbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | June 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000581 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; apparently built by American Optical Company president George W. Wells |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is good; present use is multi-family residential. A porch in the gable was closed in the mid-20th century. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.07336, -72.02824 (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 89000581.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914454
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.