Nelson, Christina, Three-Decker
Why it's listed
Built around 1916 at 45 Butler Street in Worcester's Quinsigamond Village, this three-decker is a well-preserved example of modest Colonial Revival housing from the early twentieth century. It is clad in wood clapboard with shingle on the porches and between stories, and has a gable roof with a full pediment, a side-hall plan, and a recessed three-story porch with Tuscan columns beside a curved bay window. The house belongs to a building boom of three-deckers in the neighborhood between 1890 and 1920, as Swedish immigrant families moved in to work at the Quinsigamond Works, a steel wire manufacturer. Early residents included a toolmaker, a wiredrawer, a machinist, and later a ropemaker and wireroller, reflecting the local industrial workforce. The first known owner was Christina Nelson, whose household lived nearby on Keach Street. The building was listed locally significant for its association with this immigrant working community and for its largely unaltered design, which survives in very good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a representative example of the three-deckers built in Quinsigamond Village, where Swedish immigrant families came for jobs at the Quinsigamond Works steel wire plant. It is also an unusually well-preserved example of typical Colonial Revival three-decker design. It is described as perhaps the best surviving three-decker of any style in the area.
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 89002391, listed February 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 45 Butler St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | February 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 89002391 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival Three-Decker |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, European, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; condition is described as very good, with no major alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.23445, -71.79949 (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 89002391.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5110838
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.