Richard, Stephen, House
Why it's listed
Located at 239-241 Elm Street in Southbridge, this two-and-a-half story, five-bay, center-entry house follows the traditional New England house type. Dated to about 1865, it has double chimneys, a compact plan and a steep gable roof. Its design is plain, with a small front porch with jig saw trim and a double-deck side porch with exterior stairs added in the 1880s. Such side porches were common in late-19th century Southbridge and are believed to be of French Canadian origin, which suits a neighborhood then known as Little Canada. The house first appears clearly on an 1878 map as the property of S. Richard. Stephen Richard founded a cutlery manufactory in 1862 and later formed the Richard Manufacturing Company with his two sons. He became an American citizen in 1865, and his example encouraged other French Canadians to follow. The house was listed for its connection to local development and its traditional form.
Significance in brief: The house is significant for its link to the town's mid-19th century real estate development and for its traditional gable-block form. It was the home of Stephen Richard, the first Franco-American industrialist and first Franco-American voter in Southbridge. 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 89000522, listed June 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 239--241 Elm St., Southbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | June 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000522 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.06843, -72.03596 (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 89000522.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7610365
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.