Ridyard, B. E., Three-Decker
Why it's listed
Built around 1910 at 29 Dewey Street in Worcester, this three-decker sits at the western edge of a working-class residential district that grew west of downtown in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Dewey Street saw concentrated three-decker construction amid cottages, multi-family houses and light industry. The first known owner was B.E. Ridyard, about whom little is recorded. Later occupants listed in city directories included an optician, a carpenter, clerks and a City Hall secretary. The house has a side-hall plan, wood clapboard and shingle sheathing, a shallow hip roof with a small gable dormer, and bracketed eaves. Its asymmetrical facade combines a three-tier porch with turned posts and an unusual bracket-motif balustrade, beside a three-story bay window with geometric stained-glass upper lights. No major alterations are recorded. It was listed for its representation of late infill housing in the Piedmont area and for its well-preserved Queen Anne detailing.
Significance in brief: It represents three-deckers built in the last stage of residential infill in the first decade of the 20th century in the Piedmont area, an ethnic, working-class, multi-family district. It is also an unusually well-detailed and unaltered example of Queen Anne elements used in three-decker construction. It is significant 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 89002402, listed February 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 29 Dewey St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | February 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 89002402 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne Three-Decker |
| 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; condition is good, with no major alterations recorded. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.26233, -71.81952 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 89002402.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4833967
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.