O'Connor, James-John Trybowski Three-Decker
Why it's listed
Built around 1914 at 21 Canton Street in Worcester, this three-decker belongs to a row of similar houses facing Crompton Park, one of two working-class parks the city created on the East Side in 1886. It stands in the last part of the Island neighborhood to be developed. The wood-clad building has wide shingle bands between stories, a side-hall plan, a three-tier porch on heavy square columns, a curved three-story bay window, and a hip roof with bracketed eaves. Its first known owners were James and Mary O'Connor, and early tenants were Irish workers in unskilled or semi-skilled jobs. By the 1920s, John Trybowski, an elevator operator, owned and lived in the house, and later residents included Polish and other workers, reflecting the change in the district from Irish to Polish and Lithuanian families. Its well-preserved Colonial Revival detailing and its link to neighborhood change support its local significance.
Significance in brief: It is tied to the growth of the Island neighborhood as a multi-family, working-class district that was first Irish-dominated and later saw Polish and Lithuanian families move in during the early 20th century. It is also an unusually well-preserved, representative example of Colonial Revival three-decker construction. It meets criteria A and C at the local level.
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 89002393, listed February 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 21 Canton St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | February 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 89002393 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| 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 | 42.24897, -71.80232 (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 89002393.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6140456
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.