Petterson, Lars-Adolph Carlson Three-Decker
Why it's listed
Built around 1918 at 76 Fairhaven Road, this three-decker is a wood-frame, three-family house in the Greendale section of north Worcester. It was part of the suburban subdivision of the area, which grew with electric streetcar connections and nearby industry. Many Swedish families settled here, and many residents worked at the Norton Company, which recruited Swedish workers. Contractor Lars Petterson developed this house and its neighbor at number 80, and he owned over a dozen houses in the district. Early residents included a foreman, an emery worker and a laborer, and by 1930 the owner-occupant was a drop forger. The gable-roofed building has wood clapboard with shingle bands between stories, a recessed three-tier porch with paired columns, a shallow three-story bay, modillion blocks and dentils under the cornice, and geometric-pattern decorative glass. It has seen no major alterations and is listed for its link to Swedish worker housing and its fine Colonial Revival detailing.
Significance in brief: It is a representative example of early 20th-century suburban multi-family housing in Greendale and is tied to the Swedish community drawn by jobs at the Norton Company and other factories. It is also an unusually well-preserved and well-detailed example of Colonial Revival three-decker design.
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 89002358, listed February 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 76 Fairhaven Rd., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | February 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 89002358 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Possibly Lars Petterson (contractor/developer) |
| 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) | Residential use, condition described as excellent, with no major alterations; a four-car garage stands on the lot. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.30905, -71.79467 (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 89002358.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715661
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.