Cutter, Second, A. P., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1855 at 89 Summer Street in Arlington, this clapboard house is a well-proportioned three-bay example of Italianate design. Pilasters define the bays, and the window surrounds carry simple brackets. The central window is topped by a slightly curving pediment, and the double entrance sits under a single-story Italianate porch with a balustrade, though the double doorway itself is a 20th-century replacement. Part of the original landscaping survives, including a low cut-stone retaining wall and two steps framed by granite posts leading from the street. The house may have been built for the sons of A. P. Cutter: Charles, Waldo and Edward. The Cutters were among Arlington's original settlers. The house was altered to a two-family dwelling in 1949 and is still used that way. It was listed for its fine Italianate form and its original landscaping, and it keeps good integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship.
Significance in brief: The house is nominated mainly for its fine Italianate form and its surviving original landscaping, meeting Criterion C. It may have been built for the sons of A. P. Cutter, a family counted among Arlington's original settlers. The form states it retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.
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 85001029, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 89 Summer St., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001029 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a two-family residence; it was converted from a single-family home to two-family in 1949. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.41909, -71.15747 (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 85001029.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715844
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.