Arlington Gaslight Company
Also known as: Gas Works
Why it's listed
Grove Street Town Yard in Arlington, Massachusetts, began as the works of the Arlington Gas Light Company, the town's first gas company. The present buildings date from 1914 and were built after a 1913 fire on the site of the Welch and Griffith saw factory, dating from about 1830 and described as the first saw manufactory in the United States. The largest building, the former power station at the rear, is Romanesque in style, with corbelled brick decorating its cornices and smokestack. It is one of Arlington's few industrial buildings and is well preserved. The company made gas for light and fuel for an expanding community. A gas storage tank added in 1923 carried a large painted 'ARLINGTON' and a north-pointing arrow, described as New England's first marker for aerial navigation; the tower was taken down in 1975. The complex now serves as the town's Department of Public Works headquarters and was listed for its historical and architectural value.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the power station is a well-preserved Romanesque industrial building and one of Arlington's few industrial structures. It also marks the town's first gas company, which supplied gas for light and fuel to a growing community. The complex retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship.
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 85001021, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Grove St. Town Yard, Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001021 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now used as the headquarters of the Arlington Department of Public Works; a gas storage tower built in 1923 was demolished in 1975. |
| Acreage | 4.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.42131, -71.16873 (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.
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 85001021.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4792318
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.