Worcester Market Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1914 at 631 Main Street in Worcester, this large grocery market was designed by local architect Oreste Ziroli and built by J.W. Bishop Co. for the Worcester Market Company, founded in 1894 by Fayette Amidon. Its Main Street facade is faced in glazed terracotta, with tile medallions of rams' heads and game birds, a steer's head in high relief, a name plaque on the parapet, and green glazed tile around the windows and entry. The market was believed to be the largest grocery supply store in the United States when it opened. The first floor held the sales hall, while the second floor and basement served as warehouse space linked to each department by elevators. Carrier belts moved delivery orders to packing rooms. The interior could hold thousands of customers, and the building also housed a bakery, shipping department and workshops. It is regarded as an early prototype of the modern supermarket and a distinctive example of early twentieth century commercial design.
Significance in brief: The building was believed to be the largest grocery supply store in the United States when it opened. It is a unique example of early twentieth century architecture with a glazed terracotta facing. It is also one of the earlier prototypes of the modern supermarket, with labor-saving innovations in its layout.
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 80000612, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 831 Main St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000612 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect Oreste Ziroli; built by J.W. Bishop Co. |
| Architectural style | Eclectic |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | A 1979 letter from the then-owner describes the building as vacant after a July 1979 fire, with leaking roof, collapsing ceilings, buckled floors and cancelled insurance; the owner declined the nomination. Earlier uses were grocery market and Goodwill Industries. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.25972, -71.80461 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 80000612.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8034196
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.