Smith-Thaxter-Merrifield House
Also known as: Merrifield House
Why it's listed
Known locally as the Merrifield House, this farmhouse at 158 Holden Street in Worcester dates to before 1741 and is among the city's oldest surviving buildings. It is a timber-frame structure with a nearly square plan, clapboard walls, a hip roof and a massive central chimney. The symmetrical south facade has a center entry with a twelve-panel door set between thin pilasters under a dentilled cap. Central-chimney, hip-roofed houses were once common in Worcester, but only three examples remain. The house may have been enlarged in the late eighteenth century, when the hip roof and front entry were probably added. Its likely first owner was Elisha Smith II, followed by Benjamin Thaxter and later the Merrifield family, who farmed the property from about 1849. James Libby bought it in 1866, and the Norton Company acquired it around 1915. Since 1946 it has served as an institutional residence, now a children's home.
Significance in brief: The house is among Worcester's oldest buildings and an excellent example of eighteenth-century vernacular architecture. Central-chimney, hip-roofed houses were once common in the city but only three remain. Its ownership history also traces the settlement and farming of North Worcester.
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 80000509, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 158 Holden St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000509 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Probably none; original owner Elisha Smith II |
| Architectural style | Timber-frame vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a children's home (institutional residence after 1946). |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.31270, -71.81837 (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 80000509.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7544934
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.