Damon House
Why it's listed
Standing at 275 Broadway in Arlington, this five-bay, central-entry house was built around 1850 in the Greek Revival style. Its broad, unadorned cornice band, two chimneys behind the ridge and pair of original dormers sit on a low-pitched roof. Around 1875 the house was remodeled in the Italianate style, gaining a double entry with a small, elaborately detailed bracketed hood and side wings. A wrought-iron fence and granite retaining wall from the same period survive in good condition. Local tradition credited the house to Rev. David Damon, minister of First Parish Church, but architectural evidence suggests it was built just after his death in 1843. His descendants owned the property until the 1940s. A large orchard behind the house gave way to a wartime Victory Garden and later to two brick apartment blocks, now regarded as intrusions. The house is valued as an intact Italianate example that retains its historic character.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an intact representative of the Italianate style, remodeled around 1875 from a Greek Revival building. It keeps integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. Its original wrought-iron fence and granite retaining wall are well preserved.
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 85001030, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 275 Broadway, Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001030 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival with Italianate additions |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; two modern brick apartment blocks built around 1950 stand behind the house and are considered intrusions. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.41368, -71.14817 (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 85001030.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5212837
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.