Stevens, Daniel, House
Why it's listed
This brick house at 7 Sycamore Street in Worcester was built around 1865-1870 in the Second Empire style. It has two full storeys and a third beneath a slate-covered mansard roof. The symmetrical north facade has a center entry and open porch flanked by three-sided bay windows. Trim includes quoins, sandstone window lintels with incised decoration, decorative brickwork beneath the cornice, and brackets on the cornice and dormers. A dressed granite retaining wall and gate posts run along the frontage. The house is tied to Daniel Stevens (1818-1888), a Charlton native who went to California in 1850 seeking gold, then returned to Worcester and formed a painting partnership with his brother Charles. The firm grew into sash, door and blind manufacturing, and later grain, flour and real estate ventures. The brothers shared a house on the site from 1853, and Daniel occupied the present house after 1880. Remaining in nearly original condition, it is valued as an excellent local example of its style. It is now used as apartments.
Significance in brief: The form describes it as an excellent local example of Second Empire architecture in nearly original condition. It is also tied to Daniel Stevens, a Worcester painter, sash-and-door manufacturer and businessman who lived at the site from 1853.
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 80000532, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 7 Sycamore St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000532 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential apartments; described as in nearly original condition, with porch posts replaced in the mid-20th century. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.25797, -71.80635 (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 80000532.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5218844
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.