Jenckes, E. N., Store
Why it's listed
Built around 1825 on the Ninth Massachusetts Turnpike in East Douglas, this wood-frame general store is a 2 1/2-story Greek Revival building with a gable roof and a full two-story porch carried on round columns. Elias Balcom established it, probably as the first store in East Douglas. Gardner Chase enlarged it in 1845, and later additions came in 1858, 1860, 1885, 1888 and 1892. Edward N. Jenckes bought the business in 1883 and ran it until his death in 1924, selling dry goods, groceries, grain, clothing and household items, and bartering with customers and allowing credit. Business declined with local industry and the automobile, and the store closed in the 1950s. It became a thrift shop and, in 1972, passed to the Douglas Historical Society. Original counters, shelves, ledgers dating to 1877, a safe and many period goods survive, making it a rare intact commercial interior and a local landmark of both architecture and commerce.
Significance in brief: The store is argued to be significant for its role in the commercial life of East Douglas during more than a century of continuous operation. It is also considered architecturally significant as one of very few late Federal period commercial buildings to survive in Massachusetts and as a remarkably intact Greek Revival store. Much of its original shelving, counters, ledgers and merchandise remains.
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 87002558, listed January 28, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Douglas |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | January 28, 1988 |
| Reference number | 87002558 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1825-1937 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Store ceased business in the 1950s, became a thrift shop until 1972, then was turned over to the Douglas Historical Society; current function is museum. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.07190, -71.71364 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 87002558.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5322071
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.