Webster Street Firehouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1893 at 40 Webster Street in Worcester, this firehouse was designed by the local firm Elbridge Boyden & Son and constructed by Eli Belisle for $16,000. It was built to house Steamer Company #5 and later also Hook and Ladder Company #4, serving the industrial and residential district known locally as New Worcester. The facade is faced in yellow brick and yellow terracotta, with paired entries for fire engines, a central date panel flanked by brick pilasters with stylized foliate capitals, and a high arched window beneath a tower with iron cresting. The tower rises to an open belfry, and a one-storey wing on the south side leads to the stairway. Some terracotta tiles carry classical motifs typical of the 1890s, while the cresting, capitals and hexagonal slatework recall Victorian Gothic design. The building remains unaltered and is still used as a fire station, making it an intact example of its period.
Significance in brief: The firehouse is significant for its architecture and its role in community development. It has fanciful, eclectic ornament combining 1890s classical terracotta motifs with Victorian Gothic holdovers. It is a characteristic firehouse of its period and served the New Worcester industrial and residential district.
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 80000480, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 40 Webster St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000480 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Elbridge Boyden & Son (architect); Eli Belisle (builder) |
| Architectural style | Eclectic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in service as a fire station and described as unaltered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.24399, -71.83288 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 80000480.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7978961
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.