Swift, D. Wheeler, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1879-1880 at 22 Oak Avenue in Worcester, this two-and-one-half-story house was designed by Stephen Earle for D. Wheeler Swift. It combines Victorian Gothic and Stick Style features. A steep gable with decorative bargeboards and an apron dominates the west facade, and a smaller matching gable appears on the north side. The entry is set at a 45 degree angle to the north and west walls, flanked by an original porch with open braces and a geometric railing. Other original details include window caps, a granite stoop, and a low rock-faced granite retaining wall along Oak Avenue and Kendall Street. Swift (1840-1910) came to Worcester in 1864 to run envelope-making machinery. With his brother Henry he invented machines that sharply raised output and cut costs, supporting the Whitcomb Envelope Company and later the Logan, Swift and Brigham Envelope Company. The house later became an interns' residence for a hospital.
Significance in brief: The house is described as an unaltered example of its period, combining Victorian Gothic and Stick Style elements, with an unusual entry set at a 45 degree angle. It is also tied to D. Wheeler Swift, an inventor of envelope-making machinery central to Worcester's envelope industry.
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 80000559, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 22 Oak Ave., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000559 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Stephen Earle |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic (with Stick Style elements) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as an interns' residence by its owner, a hospital. A 1979 owner letter says the hospital planned to demolish it for a proposed new wing. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.27333, -71.79303 (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 80000559.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5203877
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.