National Register of Historic Places listings in Somerville, Massachusetts facts for kids

Welcome to Somerville, Massachusetts! This city is full of amazing old buildings and special places that tell stories from the past. This list is all about the historic spots in Somerville that are so important, they've been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Think of it like a Hall of Fame for buildings and areas!

The National Register of Historic Places is a list kept by the United States government. It helps protect places that are important to American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture. When a place is on this list, it means it's recognized as a special part of our country's heritage.

You can even see many of these places on a map if you click on "Map of all coordinates" below!

Exploring Somerville's Historic Treasures

Somerville has many cool places that have been around for a long time. Let's explore some of them!

Cool Old Houses and Buildings

Many of the buildings on this list are historic homes. They show us what life was like in Somerville many years ago.

• Adams-Magoun House

* This house is located at 438 Broadway in Winter Hill. It was added to the National Register on September 18, 1989.

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• Charles Adams-Woodbury Locke House

* You can find this house at 178 Central Street, also in Winter Hill. It joined the list on September 18, 1989.

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• Clifton Bacon House

* Located at 27 Chester Street in Davis Square, this house was recognized on September 18, 1989.

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• Walter S. and Melissa E. Barnes House

* This home at 140 Highland Avenue in Central Hill was added to the list on March 8, 1990.

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• S. E. Brackett House

* Found at 63 Columbus Avenue in Prospect Hill, this house became historic on September 18, 1989.

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• James H. Brooks House

* Right next door at 61 Columbus Avenue in Prospect Hill, this house was also listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Z. E. Cliff House

* This house at 29 Powder House Terrace in Powder House was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Thomas Cook House

* Located at 21 College Hill Road in West Somerville, this house joined the list on September 18, 1989.

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• C. C. Crowell House

* You can find this house at 85 Benton Road in Spring Hill. It was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Downer Rowhouses (Adams Street)

* These connected houses at 55 Adams Street in Winter Hill were added on September 18, 1989.

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• Downer Rowhouses (Central Street)

* More rowhouses, these at 192-200 Central Street in Winter Hill, were listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Alexander Foster House

* This house at 45 Laurel Street in Spring Hill was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Samuel Gaut House

* Located at 137 Highland Avenue in Central Hill, this house joined the list on September 18, 1989.

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• Elisha Hopkins House

* This historic home at 237 School Street in Winter Hill was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 10 Arlington Street

* This house in East Somerville was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Houses at 28-36 Beacon Street

* These homes in Inman Square were listed on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 25 Clyde Street

* This house in Magoun Square was recognized on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 72R Dane Street

* Located in Perry Park, this house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 21 Dartmouth Street

* This Winter Hill house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 343 Highland Avenue

* This house in Powder House was added on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 6 Kent Court

* This home in Ward 2 was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 197 Morrison Avenue

* This house in Davis Square was added on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 29 Mt. Vernon Street

* This East Somerville house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 81 Pearl Street

* This East Somerville home was added on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 16-18 Preston Road

* These houses in Spring Hill were listed on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 5 Prospect Hill

* This house in Prospect Hill was added on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 35 Temple Street

* This home in Ten Hills was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 42 Vinal Avenue

* This house in Prospect Hill was added on September 18, 1989.

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• House at 49 Vinal Avenue

* Another house in Prospect Hill, listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Samuel Ireland House

* This East Somerville house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Joseph K. James House

* This Spring Hill house was listed on February 11, 1998.

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• Amos Keyes House

* This Magoun Square house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• R. A. Knight-Eugene Lacount House

* This house in Davis Square was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Charles H. Lockhardt House

* This Davis Square house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• George Loring House

* This Central Hill house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• A. L. Lovejoy House

* This Prospect Hill house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Robert Munroe House

* This Prospect Hill house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• John F. Nichols House

* This Davis Square house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Louville V. Niles House

* This Prospect Hill house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Louville Niles House

* Another Louville Niles House in Prospect Hill, added on September 18, 1989.

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• Otis-Wyman House

* This Winter Hill house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Parker-Burnett House

* This Prospect Hill house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Gustavus G. Prescott House

* This East Somerville house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Philemon Russell House

* This Davis Square house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Susan Russell House

* This Winter Hill house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Charles Schuebeler House

* This Perry Park house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Lemuel Snow Jr. House

* This Spring Hill house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Peter and Oliver Tufts House

* This Winter Hill house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• H. Warren House

* This Winter Hill house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Charles Williams House

* This East Somerville house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Charles Williams Jr. House

* Another Williams house in East Somerville, listed on September 18, 1989.

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• F. G. Williams House

* This Central Hill house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Daniel Worthen House

* This East Somerville house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Wright House

* This Prospect Hill house was added on September 18, 1989.

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• George Wyatt House

* This Inman Square house was listed on September 18, 1989.

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Important Community Buildings

Somerville also has public buildings that are important to its history.

• Broadway Winter Hill Congregational Church

* This beautiful church at 404 Broadway in Winter Hill was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Martin W. Carr School

* This old school building at 25 Atherton Street in Spring Hill was added on July 5, 1984.

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• Central Library

* The main library for Somerville, located at 79 Highland Avenue in Central Hill, became historic on September 18, 1989.

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• First Unitarian Church

* This church at 130 Highland Avenue in Central Hill was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• First Universalist Church

* Another historic church, this one at 125 Highland Avenue in Central Hill, was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Langmaid Building

* This building at 48-52 Highland Avenue in Central Hill was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Somerville City Hall

* The building that is now Somerville's City Hall, at 93 Highland Street in Central Hill, was originally listed as Somerville High School on September 18, 1989.

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• Somerville Journal Building

* The old newspaper building at 8-10 Walnut Street in Union Square was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Somerville Theatre

* This famous theater at 55 Davis Square was listed on January 26, 1990. It's still a popular spot today!

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• US Post Office-Somerville Main

* The main post office at 237 Washington Street in Union Square was added to the list on May 30, 1986.

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• West Somerville Branch Library

* This branch library at 40 College Avenue in Davis Square was listed on September 18, 1989.

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Historic Parks and Districts

Some places on the list are not just single buildings, but whole areas or parks that have a lot of history.

• Alewife Brook Parkway

* This parkway, or scenic road, in West Somerville was added on March 13, 2004. It even extends into the nearby city of Cambridge!

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• Bow Street Historic District

* This historic area around Bow Street in Union Square was recognized on March 26, 1976. A "historic district" means a group of buildings or an area that is important together.

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• Hollander Blocks

* These blocks of buildings on Walnut Street and Pleasant Avenue in Prospect Hill were listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Middlesex Canal Historic and Archaeological District

* This district covers many locations along the old Middlesex Canal route, including parts of West Somerville, Ten Hills, and East Somerville. It was added on November 19, 2009. This canal was a very important waterway long ago!

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• Mt. Vernon Street Historic District

* This historic area at 8-24 Mt. Vernon Street in East Somerville was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Mystic Valley Parkway, Metropolitan Park System of Greater Boston MPS

* This parkway in West Somerville is part of a larger park system and was added on January 18, 2006. It also goes through Arlington, Medford, and Winchester.

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• Old Cemetery

* This historic cemetery at Somerville Avenue and School Street in Union Square was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Powder House Park

* This park around Powder House Circle in Powder House was added on April 21, 1975.

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• Spring Hill Historic District

* This historic area in Spring Hill was listed on September 18, 1989. It's roughly bounded by Summer, Central, Atherton, and Spring streets.

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Other Notable Historic Places

Some places have unique stories or purposes.

• Almshouse

* This building at 45 Matignon Road is mostly in Cambridge, but part of it extends into Somerville. It was listed on April 13, 1982.

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• Cooper-Davenport Tavern Wing

* This part of an old tavern at 81 Eustis Street in Ward 2 was added on September 18, 1989. Taverns were like inns or restaurants in old times.

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• The Grandview

* This building at 82 Munroe Street in Prospect Hill was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• The Highland

* This building at 66 Highland Street in Central Hill was added on September 18, 1989.

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• Langmaid Terrace

* This terrace of homes at 359-365 Broadway in Ten Hills was listed on September 18, 1989.

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• Mystic Pumping Station

* This old pumping station on Alewife Brook Parkway in West Somerville was added on January 18, 1990. It helped manage water for the city.

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• Mystic Water Works

* This site, also on Alewife Brook Parkway and Capen Street in West Somerville, was listed on September 18, 1989. It's another important part of Somerville's water history.

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• The Rosebud (diner)

* This classic diner at 381 Summer Street in Davis Square was added on September 22, 1999. Diners are famous for their unique architecture and food!

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