Knowles, Lucius, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1870 for Lucius J. Knowles, this house at 838 Main Street in Worcester is regarded as one of the city's best examples of Second Empire architecture, even though aluminum siding was applied in the 1970s. The symmetrical facade has a slightly projecting central pavilion with ornate wooden doors and an original entry porch. A concavely curved mansard roof of fish-scale slate and paired brackets with carved swags are among its original features. In 1880 Worcester architect Stephen Earle designed a music room added at the northeast corner, reputedly with a bay to hold a harp played by Knowles's daughter. Stained-glass skylights survive inside, along with wood paneling, arabesque bands and windows showing musicians and artists. Knowles, born in 1819, began as a daguerreotypist and became a leading loom inventor and manufacturer whose firm later merged into Crompton and Knowles. The house served as a residence before becoming a funeral home in the mid twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The main house is described as one of the city's best examples of Second Empire architecture despite later aluminum siding. Its 1880 music room, with stained-glass skylights and decorated interior, is called one of the most important Victorian interiors in Worcester. Knowles was also a prominent loom inventor and manufacturer.
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 80000628, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 838 Main St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000628 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Stephen Earle (1880 music room addition); original architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Victorian Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture, Invention |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a funeral home (present use at time of the form); aluminum siding added in the 1970s. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.25508, -71.81410 (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 80000628.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6697563
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.