Willard-Fisk House
Why it's listed
Set in the rural northwestern part of Holden, this farm complex on Whitney Street centers on a late 18th century brick house, two and a half stories tall with five bays, a center entrance and paired interior chimneys. A clapboarded ell extends behind it and holds the original kitchen with a cooking fireplace and beehive oven. Brick was rare in Central Massachusetts during the Colonial period, and the house is counted among the earliest brick buildings in Holden, alongside a similar house nearby on Whitney Street. David Fisk, a local deacon, selectman and Revolutionary War veteran, acquired the farm in 1777, and his family held it into the 1850s. Later owners farmed it, and a family took up poultry farming in the 1940s, adding a chicken house in 1948. In 1953 the City of Worcester took most of the land for reservoir purposes, leaving about five acres with stone walls, outbuildings and open fields. The property was recognized for its architecture, with archaeological potential also noted.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the best surviving examples of early brick domestic architecture in Holden. It is described as one of the earliest known brick buildings in town, with early double interior chimneys, and as lacking Georgian classical ornament. The property also has potential archaeological value.
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 96000163, listed February 23, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 121 Whitney St. (formerly 123 Whitney St.), Holden |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | February 23, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000163 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Late 18th C. - 1945 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the form notes the 1940s chicken coop, barn and shed, and a wellhouse reconstructed in 1994. |
| Acreage | 5.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.37910, -71.88583 (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 96000163.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8003358
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.