Prentiss, Addison, House
Also known as: Prentiss-Hanson 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
Perched on a hilltop about 40 feet above Kendall Street in Worcester, this brick house at 3 Channing Way was built around 1877 in the Victorian Gothic style. It rises two and a half stories under gabled slate roofs, with a symmetrical south facade centered on a three-and-a-half-story tower topped by a high hip roof and dormers. Windows are rectangular two-over-one sash with rock-faced granite sills and lintels. Because the slope makes the facade entry hard to reach, the north porch and entry likely served as the main entrance. Apart from the facade porch posts, the house remains in original condition. It was built for Addison Prentiss (1815-1895), a designer, lithographer and engraver who produced an important 1851 view of Worcester and later worked as a book dealer and publisher. In 1887 he sold it to Charles F. Hanson, a Swedish immigrant who opened a piano and musical instrument business in 1870 and became a prominent figure among Worcester's Swedes.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as an important local example of Victorian Gothic architecture, nearly unaltered except for its facade porch posts. It is also tied to Addison Prentiss, a Worcester lithographer, engraver and publisher, and to later owner Charles F. Hanson, a piano and musical instrument dealer who became a leading figure in Worcester's Swedish community.
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 80000558, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3 Channing Way, Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000558 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the form says the house is in original condition except for the posts of its facade porch. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.27397, -71.79281 (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 80000558.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4681271
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.