Newton, Charles, House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built between about 1833 and 1845 at 24 Brattle Street, north of Worcester's center, this two-and-one-half-storey frame house is an early example of the side-hall Greek Revival type. It rests on a rock-faced granite foundation and has a pedimented gable facade. Narrow corner boards, window trim and a narrow cornice carry over from Federalist design. Its entry is the most notable feature: an original six-panel door set between sidelights, framed by an architrave with corner and center blocks. The pattern derives from Asher Benjamin's builders' guides of the 1830s, and only one other doorway of this type is known in Worcester, on the Ezra Rice House. Charles Newton, a farmer, was the original owner and occupant in the 1850s. Later owners included Calvin Foster, a hardware dealer and bank president, and James Fuller, a partner in the Worcester architecture firm Fuller and Delano. Fuller's son Robert lived there in the early twentieth century.
Significance in brief: It is an early example of the popular side-hall Greek Revival house, with Federalist holdovers such as narrow corner boards, window trim and a narrow cornice. Its entry, with an original six-panel door, sidelights and an architrave with corner and center blocks, is fine and rare in Worcester. The house was also later owned by architect James Fuller of Fuller and Delano.
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 80000508, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 24 Brattle St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000508 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Transitional Federalist to Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a residence; the form lists it as unaltered and not moved. |
| Acreage | 3.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.31496, -71.81774 (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 80000508.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5081245
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.