Lancaster Industrial School for Girls
Also known as: Bridecake Plain
Why it's listed
Lancaster Industrial School for Girls occupies a landscaped campus southeast of Lancaster center, between Old Common Road and Still River Road. Established in April 1854 with a $20,000 legislative appropriation, it is described as the first girls' training school in the United States and the first in the world to give girls individual rooms instead of dormitory beds. The aim was less vocational than the healing of emotional troubles among girls the courts classed as delinquent, and life ran on honor principles. The district includes eight brick cottages, the first being Fay Cottage of 1855, along with a chapel, barn, shops and an infirmary. Three clapboard farmhouses from the late eighteenth century, such as the Thomas Safford House and the Abner Pollard House, were acquired for residences and offices. The land was once the town common, site of a 1705 meeting house, and was called Bridecake Plain. The grounds still serve penal and community programs.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that it is the oldest girls' training school in America and one of the most progressive correctional institutions of its day. It was the first such school in the world with individual girls' rooms rather than dormitories. The district also preserves a varied group of eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth century buildings, from farmhouses to purpose-built cottages.
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 76000301, listed October 8, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Lancaster on Old Common Rd., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | October 8, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000301 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1900- (the box checked on the form; the text describes events from 1854 onward) |
| Architectural style | Federal farmhouses and Italianate brick cottages |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Activity at the school has been phased down, but the facility continues to be used for various penal and community programs. The form marks the property as both occupied and unoccupied, in good condition. |
| Acreage | 70 |
| Coordinates | 42.44321, -71.65832 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 76000301.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6483207
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.