Kaller, Erick, Three-Decker
Why it's listed
Built around 1894, this three-decker at 146 Eastern Avenue in Worcester is a wood-frame multi-family house in the Queen Anne style. It has a hip roof, side-hall plan and side-wall jog. Its asymmetrical facade includes panelled double doors under a single-story porch with turned posts and vine-pattern brackets, beside a three-story projecting bay. Clapboard covers the walls, with shingle bands on the bay, and paired brackets decorate the cornice. The house stands in an early three-decker area on the slope north of Belmont Street, home mostly to Swedish, Finn-Swede and Finnish families, many working at the Washburn and Moen Company North Works or other metalworking firms. Erick J. Kaller, a wireworker, owned it through 1910, lived there and also owned the adjacent house at 148 Eastern Avenue; the family kept both through the 1920s. Tenants included wireworkers, a patternmaker, a blacksmith and a carpenter. The building is listed for its neighborhood associations and its well-preserved architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant for its association with the Scandinavian, working-class, multi-family neighborhood that developed north of Belmont Street in the late 19th century. It is also a well-preserved, well-detailed example of the early Queen Anne style three-deckers popular in Worcester. It is nominated under criteria A and C at the local level.
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 89002411, listed February 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 146 Eastern Ave., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | February 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 89002411 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne Three-Decker |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, European, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as very good; present use is residential, with a porch balustrade replaced. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.27361, -71.78898 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 89002411.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20888378
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.