Marble, Jerome, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1867 at 23 Harvard Street in Worcester, this brick house was designed by architect Elbridge Boyden for Jerome Marble. It is a local example of Second Empire architecture, one of the few buildings of that style in the city with a known architect. The pressed-brick house rises two and a half stories under a slate-covered mansard roof with gabled and arched dormers. Its symmetrical facade has a center entrance set between three-sided bay windows, with brick quoining and a modillioned cornice. Apart from a modern front door, it is unaltered and in excellent condition. The property keeps its original granite stoop, rock-faced granite retaining wall and granite gate posts. Marble (1824-1906), a native of Charlton, came to Worcester in 1853 and built a business as a druggist and dealer in paints, oils and chemicals. He also served as a bank director and tried to start an excursion car company. The house now serves as offices.
Significance in brief: The house is described as an excellent local example of Second Empire architecture and one of the few buildings of that style in Worcester with an identified architect. It is also tied to Jerome Marble, a Worcester druggist and businessman. It remains largely unaltered and in excellent condition.
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 80000567, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 23 Harvard St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000567 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Elbridge Boyden |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as offices; described as unaltered apart from a modern front door and in excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.26860, -71.80258 (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 80000567.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6182829
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.