Aborn, John, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1846 at 41 Orchard Street in Cambridge, this clapboard house reflects the shift from Greek Revival to the Italianate taste. Local housewright Joshua Fernald built it for John Aborn, together with its neighbor at 45 Orchard Street, immediately after the street was platted for development. The location near the Fitchburg Railroad Depot suited Boston commuters. Italianate features include projecting bracketed eaves, windows with bracketed lintels, and double doors with arched upper glass panels. Its detailing is described as naive, with wide brackets. A porch was added in the 1890s. Construction came only a year after Henry Greenough introduced the new style to Cambridge, making it one of the earliest Bracketed Italianate designs in the northwest part of the city. Development on the street largely stopped after these houses were completed until the late 1880s. The house is regarded as an accomplished though modest example of its style and remains in residential use.
Significance in brief: It is one of the earliest Bracketed Italianate designs in Northwest Cambridge, erected only a year after the style was introduced to Cambridge. It shows the transition between Greek Revival and Italianate, and is an accomplished if modest example of the Bracketed Italianate style. The reviewer recommended listing under Criterion C.
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 82001883, listed April 13, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 41 Orchard St., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001883 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Joshua Fernald, housewright |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival/Bracketed Italian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; a porch was added in the 1890s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.39151, -71.12033 (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 82001883.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715631
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.