Rice, Ezra, House
Why it's listed
Located at 1133 West Boylston Street in Worcester, this two-story frame house dates from about 1833-1845 and shows the shift from Federalist to Greek Revival design. It rests on a rock-faced granite foundation, with clapboard walls, narrow corner boards, a pedimented gable and a three-bay facade with a side-hall plan. The main doorway holds an original panelled door flanked by side lights and framed by an architrave with decorative center and corner blocks. Its pattern comes from Asher Benjamin's builder's guides of the 1830s, and it is one of two doorways of this type surviving in Worcester, the other being on the Charles Newton House. Because the house sits far from the city center, local directories do not list it until 1851, when Ezra Beaman Rice (1825-1912), a farmer, was living there. He stayed until his death. The only notable change is an enclosed rear porch. The house remains a residence and is valued as a well-preserved early Greek Revival example.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an early example of Greek Revival architecture that keeps some Federalist elements. Its entry, derived from Asher Benjamin's 1830s pattern books, is one of only two of its type in Worcester and is nearly identical to the one on the Charles Newton House. It is also linked to Ezra Beaman Rice, a farmer who lived there until his death.
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 80000507, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1133 W. Boylston St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000507 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Transitional Federalist to Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; alterations are minor, limited to enclosure of a rear porch on the south elevation. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.33448, -71.78949 (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 80000507.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5423398
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.