Providence Street Historic District
Why it's listed
Providence Street in Worcester holds a row of ten three-decker houses and a set of cinder block garages, built between about 1926 and 1930 facing Gaskill Field, the Worcester Academy athletic field. The houses were probably built by the Dworman Building Company and mix Colonial Revival and Craftsman details, including three-tier front porches, hip roofs, triple windows and wood clapboard and shingle siding. Several sit on steep front yards that heighten their vertical form. Nine of the ten houses keep their original character; only 139 Providence Street lost it through modern siding. The street also reflects a social pattern. Many early residents were middle-class Jewish families who moved from the older Jewish neighborhood on lower Providence Street, and they worked as tailors, merchants, clerks and business operators, often near the Green Street business district. As one of the best-preserved groups from the final phase of three-decker building in the city, the district was listed for its architecture and its role in the city's neighborhood growth.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is a representative subdivision of stylish three-deckers from the late 1920s on Worcester's East Side. It was first occupied mainly by middle-class Jewish families who moved from older inner-city neighborhoods. The houses are a well-preserved group of Craftsman and Colonial Revival design from the last phase of local 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 89002381, listed February 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 127--145 Providence St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | February 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 89002381 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Probably the Dworman Building Company |
| Architectural style | Craftsman and Colonial Revival (three-deckers) |
| 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; general condition is described as good to excellent. Sixteen buildings contribute and one, 139 Providence Street, does not because of modern siding. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.24626, -71.79162 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 89002381.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7252484
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.