Wesson, Franklin, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1874 and first occupied between 1874 and 1875, this brick house at 8 Claremont Street in Worcester is described as the city's most elaborate example of High Victorian Gothic design. A.P. Cutting was the architect. The two-and-one-half storey building rises from a hammered granite plinth to a hipped roof of hexagonal-pattern slates, and its side-hall plan is entered through a three-and-one-half storey tower with buttresses and a pointed-arch doorway. Pointed-arch windows with sandstone keystones and springers, belt courses of decorative brick and varied dormers with open strapwork add to the detail. A dressed granite retaining wall surrounds the lot. The house was built for Franklin Wesson, a founder of Worcester's arms industry, whose 1871 partnership to make a shell-ejecting revolver later became Harrington and Richardson. Its plans were published in a national pattern book in 1875. Apart from a two-storey wooden porch, it remains in original condition.
Significance in brief: It is described as Worcester's most elaborate High Victorian Gothic house, with a three-and-one-half storey tower, pointed-arch openings and decorative brickwork. It was built for Franklin Wesson, a founder of Worcester's arms industry whose firm became Harrington and Richardson. Its plans and elevations were published in Bicknell's Wood and Brick Buildings With Details in 1875.
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 80000603, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 8 Claremont St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000603 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | A.P. Cutting |
| Architectural style | High Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the form also lists a lodging house as the present subsequent use. Apart from a two-storey wooden porch at the northeast corner, the building is in original condition. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.25457, -71.81663 (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 80000603.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715479
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.