Cohasset Common Historic District
Why it's listed
Cohasset Common Historic District covers about 24 acres in central Cohasset, Massachusetts, where houses, churches and civic buildings face a long, open Common. The area marks the original settlement of the South Parish of Hingham. Its focal point is the 1747 First Parish Meeting House, with its tall steeple and town clock. Nearby are the 1824 Second Congregational Church, the Italianate Town Hall of 1857, and the granite Gothic Revival St. Stephen's Church of 1900, designed by Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson. Many of the houses are Georgian and Federal, and many were built by successful sea captains from the shipbuilding and fishing era. The Common was redesigned in 1903 with Meetinghouse Pond and diagonal paths, and in 1937 property owners agreed to restrict incompatible uses. The district was recognized for its architecture, its community planning and development, and its religious history, with a period of significance from 1713 to 1937.
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) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1713 - 1937 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Late Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Religion, Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Acreage | 24 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Cohasset Common Historic District (property record) |
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.