Dodge, Edward, House
Why it's listed
Set well back from Sparks Street in a small hollow among large trees, this house in Cambridge was built in 1878 for Edward Dodge. Longfellow and Clark designed it in the Queen Anne style. The two-and-a-half story wood building has asymmetrical massing and half-timbered gables, a feature that traces to the work of Norman Shaw and others in England during the 1860s. Decoration includes vertical boarding, molded brick consoles and diaper work, along with an oriel window on the second floor of the front gable. The lot covers roughly two acres. The house was built for a son of the family living next door at 72 Sparks Street, and that neighboring house was moved forward on its lot so each could overlook an ample side yard. Recorded as an outstanding example of domestic Queen Anne architecture, it was listed for its architectural merit. Alterations have been confined to the interior, and the house remains a residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as an outstanding example of domestic Queen Anne architecture. It has asymmetrical massing, half-timbered gables drawn from Norman Shaw's work in England, and finely crafted surface decoration. The reviewer recommended listing under Criterion C.
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 82001937, listed April 13, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 70 Sparks St., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001937 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Longfellow and Clark |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in residential use, the same as its original use; interior alterations were made in 1901, 1909, 1944 and 1948. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 42.37996, -71.13087 (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 82001937.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5342607
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.