Putnam, Otis, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1887 at 25 Harvard Street in Worcester, this brick house was designed by Fuller & Delano as the residence of merchant Otis Putnam. It is a Queen Anne building of two and a half stories on a rock-faced granite foundation laid in a broken course. The asymmetrical facade has first- and second-story porches with original trim, topped by a high gable with a central oriel and shingles set in an undulating pattern. Excellent stained glass survives, and an original granite retaining wall surrounds the property. Putnam bought the lot from the heirs of T.E. Hall and had an existing Greek Revival house moved to the rear before construction began. Born in Leicester in 1831, he started as a clerk in 1847 and later became a partner in the firm that grew into one of Worcester's largest department stores. He also served as a director of local businesses. The house remains unaltered and is now used as offices.
Significance in brief: The form describes it as a good local example of Queen Anne architecture that keeps excellent stained glass and remains unaltered. It is also tied to Otis Putnam, a Worcester merchant whose firm grew into one of the city's largest department stores.
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 80000565, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 25 Harvard St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000565 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Fuller & Delano |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as offices; the form states the building is unaltered and has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.26896, -71.80260 (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 80000565.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7108817
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.