Tower, Horatio, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1848-1850 at 71 Pleasant Street in Worcester, this two-storey frame house was the home of Horatio Tower, a prominent local builder. It sits on a rock-faced granite foundation under a low hip roof, with a nearly square plan and a small one-storey bay, possibly a former conservatory, on the east wall. The symmetrical south facade has a center entry with a fanlight and Corinthian porch, oversized first-floor windows with caps on carved acanthus consoles, corner pilasters, and a dentiled and modillioned cornice. Its classical detailing is more restrained than that of the stucco-covered Italianate villas of the 1850s, and the plan and pilasters echo local Greek Revival houses. Of the many mansions built along Pleasant, Chestnut and Elm Streets in the 1830s-1850s, it is the only one that remains intact. Tower worked on landmarks including Antiquarian Hall, the Old Court House and Mechanic's Hall. Dr. Albert Wood later owned the house, and it has been a funeral home since about 1925.
Significance in brief: The form calls it one of the best examples of Italianate architecture in Worcester, more academic in its classical detail than the stucco-covered villas of the 1850s. It also keeps Greek Revival elements in its plan and pilasters. It is the only surviving large mansion of the early West side development along Pleasant, Chestnut and Elm Streets. It is also tied to Horatio Tower, a prominent local builder.
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 80000600, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 71 Pleasant St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000600 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by Horatio Tower according to his wife's obituary |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is funeral service; siding was altered to aluminum in the 1970s; not moved. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.26386, -71.80467 (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 80000600.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715559
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.