Grace Episcopal Church
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Why it's listed
Grace Episcopal Church, at 160 High Street in Medford, Massachusetts, was designed in 1867 by Henry Hobson Richardson after he won a design competition, and it was built between 1868 and 1872. It has the simplest plan of any Richardson church: a nave, a low polygonal chancel and a tall bell tower. Its walls are glacial boulders trimmed with quarry-surfaced granite, and the steep slate roof carries three bands of red slate. This was the first time Richardson used boulder walling, a material he returned to in later works. The tower and entrance porch resemble those of Richard Upjohn's St. Paul's Church in Brookline. It is the second church Richardson designed and, after the demolition of his Springfield church, the oldest of his surviving churches in the country. The original wooden roof framing, pews, pulpit, chancel interior and rose window remain. Additions followed in 1882, early in the twentieth century and in 1957, the last two finished in cream stucco.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is significant as the work of H.H. Richardson, won through a competition, and as the oldest surviving church by him in the United States. It is also the first place Richardson used glacial boulders as a walling material, a theme he later revisited. Much of the original interior survives.
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 72000139, listed November 3, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 160 High St., Medford |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | November 3, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000139 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1868-72 |
| Architect / builder | Henry Hobson Richardson |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in religious use, in good condition and altered by additions in 1882, the early twentieth century and 1957; the original interior is largely preserved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.42013, -71.11619 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 72000139.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5591129
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.