Central Library
Why it's listed
Central Library at 79 Highland Avenue is a two-story yellow brick public library built in 1914 on Central Hill in Somerville. Architect Edward L. Tilton, who had worked for McKim, Mead and White, gave it a Second Renaissance Revival design related to the Boston Public Library. The nine-bay building has a truncated hipped roof of green pan tiles, large round-arched second-story windows, terra cotta panels, and limestone surrounds, stringcourses and quoins. A shallow Doric-columned porch at the center entry supports an elaborate terracotta shield. The site once held the city's first engine house, a Victorian Gothic building of 1871 by Shepard S. Woodcock, which was demolished to make way for the library. Central Hill has long held civic and religious buildings. The library was part of a 50-year municipal building program that reflected Somerville's growth around 1900 and its concern for residents' amenities. It still serves as a library and keeps its original location, setting and materials, with some 1970s alterations.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a finely proportioned Second Renaissance Revival building that shows the influence of McKim, Mead and White on its architect. Its 1914 construction was part of a 50-year municipal building program reflecting the city's rapid growth and its provision of urban amenities. It retains integrity and meets Criteria A and C at the local level.
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 89001274, listed September 18, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 79 Highland Ave., Somerville |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 18, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001274 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Edward Lippincott Tilton |
| Architectural style | Second Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a library; condition listed as excellent, with 1970s renovations including some entry and interior alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.38587, -71.09402 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 89001274.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5061361
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.