Arlington Center Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: See Also:Arlington Center Historic District; Russell,Jason,Ho
Why it's listed
Arlington's town center is a district of about 78 acres built up around the crossing of Massachusetts Avenue and Pleasant Street. Its buildings span roughly 1740 to 1940 and include 216 properties, 183 of which contribute to its character. The oldest is the Jason Russell House of 1740, beside the Old Burying Ground. North of the commercial spine lies a neighborhood of modest mid-19th century housing built for workers in the mills along Mill Brook. South of it, Pleasant, Academy and Jason Streets hold larger Victorian and Colonial Revival homes of well-to-do commuters. Along Massachusetts Avenue stand brick and masonry commercial blocks, the Robbins Library of 1892, Robbins Memorial Town Hall of 1912, churches, and an octagonal Central Fire Station of 1926. Together these buildings record the town's shift from a rural crossroads and milling village to a railroad-era suburb of Boston.
Significance in brief: The district shows Arlington's growth from a sparse 18th century rural community, to an early 19th century milling village, to a mid-19th century and later commuter suburb of Boston. It holds well-preserved commercial, civic, religious and residential buildings in a wide range of styles.
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 85002691, listed September 27, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Jason St., Massachusetts Ave., Pleasant and Gray Sts., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 27, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002691 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1740-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Various, including Hartwell and Richardson (Center School), Cabot, Everett, and Mead (Robbins Library), R. Clipston Sturgis (Robbins Memorial Town Hall), and George Ernest Robinson (Central Fire Station). |
| Architectural style | Wide range, including Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Shingle Style, Colonial Revival and Renaissance Revival. |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 65 |
| Within district | Arlington Center Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.41611, -71.15646 (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 85002691.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4792295
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.