Cooper-Davenport Tavern Wing
Why it's listed
This 2 1/2-story wing at 81 Eustis Street in Somerville is all that remains of the Cooper-Davenport Tavern, which Jonathan Cooper built in 1757 at the junction of the Cambridge-Concord and Medford-Charlestown roads in northwest Cambridge. John Davenport acquired the tavern in 1806, soon after the Middlesex Turnpike opened along the same route, and refurbished it, adding the wing in a late Georgian-early Federal style. In the early 19th century the tavern was a well-known way station, famous for its "flip," a popular drink. When the main building was razed in 1885 to make way for St. James Episcopal Church, the wing was moved to Somerville and has served as housing since. Later changes include replacement siding, a rear porch and 2/2 window sash. It is valued as one of Somerville's earliest standing structures and one of few Federal-period buildings left in the city.
Significance in brief: It is one of the earliest structures standing in Somerville and one of only a few Federal-period buildings remaining in the city. It is the only surviving portion of an important colonial and early national tavern. The nomination argues it keeps integrity of design, materials, workmanship and association, and meets Criterion C and Exception B 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 89001257, listed September 18, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 81 Eustis St., Somerville |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 18, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001257 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal (described as late Georgian-early Federal) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as poor; the building has been in residential use since it was moved, and is currently used as a residence/apartments. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.38370, -71.11362 (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 89001257.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5167732
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.