Petterson, Lars-Fred Gurney Three-Decker
Why it's listed
Built around 1910, this three-decker at 2 Harlow Street in Worcester is a gambrel-roofed example of Colonial Revival housing, set in a row of three-deckers opposite Saint Bernard Church. It has a side-hall plan, wood clapboard siding, shingled gables, a two-tier entry porch with square posts and open balustrades, and a shallow two-story bay window. Double cross-gable dormers project from the side roof slopes, and modillion blocks sit under the cornice. Lars M. Petterson, a contractor who owned more than a dozen buildings in the Lincoln Street and Greendale neighborhoods, developed about six houses in the Harlow Street area and owned this one into the early 1920s. Early residents included a bookkeeper, a draughtsman and a salesman, reflecting the white-collar and skilled-craft households of this middle-class streetcar suburb. By 1924 Fred Gurney, a yard superintendent, owned and lived here. It was listed for its intact design and its place in the neighborhood's early twentieth-century growth.
Significance in brief: It represents the middle-class streetcar suburb that grew along the Lincoln Street axis in the early 20th century. It is also an unusually well-preserved and well-detailed example of the gambrel-roof Colonial Revival three-decker. The nomination cites 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 89002368, listed February 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2 Harlow St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | February 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 89002368 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | possibly Lars Petterson |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival (Gambrel) 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 | 42.28353, -71.79209 (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 89002368.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715662
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.