Barnes, James B., House
Why it's listed
This brick house at 200 Monsignor O'Brien Highway in East Cambridge was built in 1824 for James B. Barnes. Its Federal style design has five bays across the front, and a fan light sits above the entrance. Around 1910 the house was moved from its original position on the lot when Bridge Street was widened. It has remained a residence since it was built. The house was listed because of its rarity. It is the only single-family, five-bay Federal style brick house in East Cambridge, and the only house in Cambridge of that type with a fan light over the entrance. It is also one of six brick Federal style houses that survive in East Cambridge from the early development of the area. A federal reviewer described it as one of a kind and recommended it for its architectural qualities. The architect is unknown.
Significance in brief: The house is described as the only single-family, five-bay Federal style brick house in East Cambridge. It is also the only such house in Cambridge with a fan light over the entrance. It is one of six Federal style brick houses remaining in East Cambridge that are associated with the early development of the area. The federal reviewer recommended it under Criterion C as an architectural example.
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 82001919, listed April 13, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 200 Monsignor O'Brien Hwy., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001919 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the form records that the house was moved about 1910 when Bridge Street was widened. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.37200, -71.07898 (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 82001919.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6129046
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.