Windsor Court Historic District
Also known as: American Optical Company Neighborhood
Why it's listed
Windsor Court Historic District is a small group of three-family houses at North Street and Windsor Court in Southbridge, built in the early twentieth century by the American Optical Company to house its workers. The houses are variations on the triple-decker. The narrow three-story form was hidden by placing the third floor in a high-pitched front gable, so each house looks like a two-and-a-half story home, with long dormers added on both sides of the roof. Originally the houses were identical, wood-shingled, with a porch on each floor at the center of the facade. Some porches have since been closed in, but 8-10 Windsor Court keeps its original appearance. The land near Central Street stayed undeveloped until Central Mills released it after about 1908. The company built three worker-housing clusters in this period, and this was the densest. The district meets criteria A and C at the local level and retains its historic integrity.
Significance in brief: It is significant as an example of company-built worker housing for the American Optical Company. The houses are variations on the triple-decker, disguised to look like two-family houses, and form the densest of the company's housing clusters. It meets criteria A and C at the local level.
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 89000596, listed June 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Windsor Ct. at North St., Southbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | June 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000596 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1904-1925 |
| Architect / builder | American Optical Company |
| Architectural style | Variation on the triple-decker three-family house |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as fair; some porches have been enclosed, while 8-10 Windsor Court retains its original facade. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.07641, -72.03093 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 89000596.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8024587
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.