Broadway Winter Hill Congregational Church
Why it's listed
Broadway Winter Hill Congregational Church stands at 404 Broadway, on the southwest corner of Broadway and Central Street in Somerville, Massachusetts. Built in 1890-1891 to designs by the architectural firm Hartwell and Richardson, it is a Shingle Style building with multiple slate roofs of pyramidal, conical and gable forms, and walls of granite and shingle. Materials include local slate called Somerville Stone from Fitzgerald's Quarry for the square tower, blue Rutland marble for sills, copings and steps, and rough granite block for the corner tower. The congregation traces to a Sabbath School organized in 1863 and a congregation formed in 1865. After a split in 1881, the Winter Hill Congregational Society worshipped in a Gothic chapel built in 1871 before this church was constructed. The building is considered one of Somerville's finest architect-designed structures and one of its few Shingle Style institutional buildings. It has no major alterations, remains in good condition and is still used as a church.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is significant for its link to the development of the Winter Hill area of Somerville and for its association with a well-known architectural firm. It is described as one of Somerville's finest architect-designed buildings and one of the few Shingle Style institutional structures in the city.
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 89001238, listed September 18, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 404 Broadway, Somerville |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 18, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001238 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Hartwell and Richardson (also referred to as Hartwell, Richardson, and Driver) |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition with no major alterations, no outbuildings, and not moved; present use is religious. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.39505, -71.09906 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 89001238.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4972539
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.