Cambidge Common Historic District Amendment
Also known as: See Also:Cambridge Common Historic District
Why it's listed
This amendment revises the boundary of the Cambridge Common historic district in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The area covers roughly 27 acres around the Common and includes public, private and institutional properties built between about 1770 and 1940. The buildings represent many architectural styles and serve mixed uses, and their condition is recorded as good to excellent. Named properties on the survey photographs include Agassiz House in Radcliffe Yard and houses at 69 and 77 Brattle Street. Reviewers noted that the change removes some properties from the original district and places them in the proposed Old Cambridge district. The boundary change was accepted in June 1983. Reviewers said it corrects the earlier boundary and replaces it with one that follows the buildings and can be defended on the basis of significance. The new line also recognizes the boundaries of the adjacent districts. The document supplies little descriptive or historical narrative beyond these administrative and survey details.
Significance in brief: The available text contains no statement of significance. It records only that the amendment corrects the earlier district boundary and aligns it with the adjacent Old Cambridge district, drawing boundaries that follow buildings and can be defended on the basis of significance.
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 83004293, listed June 30, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | Massachusetts Ave. and Garden, Waterhouse, Cambridge, and Peabody Sts., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | June 30, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004293 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1770-1940 |
| Architectural style | Many styles; the area is described as not uniform in style. |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition of the area is described as good to excellent, with mixed uses. |
| Acreage | 27 |
| Coordinates | 42.37580, -71.12235 (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 83004293.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.