Whitcomb House
Why it's listed
Built in 1879-80 at the corner of Harvard and Highland Streets in Worcester, this three-story granite mansion was designed by local architect Stephen C. Earle for George H. Whitcomb. Its asymmetrical, polychromatic design features a central gabled wing, a round-arched entrance with carved granite columns, a cast iron balcony, a turret with a conical slate roof, and a roofline broken by many shingled dormers. Lighter stone around the windows contrasts with the granite walls. Inside, formal rooms are finished in cherry, oak, butternut and mahogany, with decorative painting on walls and ceilings. Whitcomb founded Bay State Envelope Company, which helped make Worcester a major envelope producer, and he supported colleges as a trustee and donor. His family lived in the house until 1918, when it passed to the Memorial Home for the Blind, which still uses it. A stone stable and carriage house stands behind. The house is valued as a fine Victorian mansion and as one of Earle's few surviving residential designs.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a fine example of a high Victorian mansion and the home of George H. Whitcomb, one of Worcester's most successful businessmen and generous philanthropists of the nineteenth century. It is also one of the few remaining houses designed by local architect Stephen C. Earle, who mostly designed churches and public buildings.
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 77000653, listed November 9, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 51 Harvard St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | November 9, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000653 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Stephen C. Earle |
| Architectural style | High Victorian (Queen Anne noted on the data sheet) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition; used as a Home for the Blind, with the carriage house renovated as a workshop for the blind. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.27114, -71.80197 (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 77000653.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7994231
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.