Roynane, Catharine, Three-Decker
Why it's listed
Built around 1890 at 18 Ingalls Street in Worcester, this three-decker reflects the movement of Irish families out of the inner city into newly subdivided neighborhoods on the East Side hill slopes. It sits in the earliest core of modestly fashionable three-deckers on the northwest slope of Grafton Hill, an area that became a major ethnic, working-class district. The first known owner, Catherine Ronayne, held it through 1900, and early tenants included a moulder, a machinist and a clerk. Architecturally, it is an unusually ornate early Queen Anne example with a hip roof, side-hall plan, and a three-story projecting bay window. The single-story porch has turned posts and a vine-and-wheel frieze, while paired brackets decorate the cornice and window caps carry bull's-eye details. Clad in clapboard and unaltered, it remains one of the outstanding buildings of the Grafton Hill area.
Significance in brief: The building is tied to the spread of Worcester's Irish residential district up the northwest slope of Grafton Hill in the late 19th century. It is also described as an outstanding, well-preserved and unusually ornate example of local Queen Anne three-decker design from the 1890s. 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 89002397, listed February 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 18 Ingalls St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | February 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 89002397 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, European, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded as in good condition, with no major alterations and no outbuildings; present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.25733, -71.79590 (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 89002397.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5052108
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.