Grace Universalist Church
Also known as: Grace Unitarian Universalist Church; St. George Hellenic Orthodox Church
Why it's listed
Grace Universalist Church, at 44 Princeton Boulevard in Lowell's Highlands neighborhood, is a 2½-story brick church with an attached vestry, built in 1895-1896. Its two-towered front facade is Romanesque Revival in design, while the whole building mixes Romanesque, Beaux Arts and Classical Revival motifs. Its most notable feature is a 70-foot diameter masonry dome built by Rafael Guastavino, Jr. from interlocking terra-cotta tiles, which forms the ceiling of the sanctuary. The congregation grew from Universalist societies founded in Lowell in the 1820s and 1830s, whose members backed abolition and the welfare of mill workers. Moving from Shattuck Street, the church followed middle- and upper-class residents to the newly developed Highlands. The building later became St. George Hellenic Orthodox Church, and 1970s changes added an iconostasis and painted icons. A circa 1838 George Stevens organ moved from the earlier church remains in the choir loft. The church is still in religious use.
Significance in brief: The church is notable for its 70-foot diameter masonry dome, built by Rafael Guastavino, Jr., and for its eclectic Late Victorian design mixing Romanesque, Beaux Arts and Classical Revival motifs. It also records the Universalist movement in Lowell, a mill city where Universalists took up workers' rights and social reform, and the congregation's move to the newly developed Highlands. The excerpt does not state the criteria or period of significance.
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 11000069, listed March 1, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 44 Princeton Boulevard, Lowell |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | March 1, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000069 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Rafael Guastavino, Jr. (dome) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Victorian Eclectic (Romanesque, Beaux Arts, Classical Revival motifs) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a religious facility; the Orthodox congregation uses the building today. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.63502, -71.33286 (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 11000069.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16982430
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.