Greek Orthodox Church
Also known as: First Universalist Church
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Standing on Massachusetts Avenue in the center of Arlington, this wood-frame church was built in 1841 as a modest Greek Revival meetinghouse for the First Universalist congregation. In 1860, to designs by Boston-area architect Thomas W. Silloway, it was moved back from the street on its lot, raised on a six-foot basement, and given a projecting frontispiece with monumental composite columns and an ornate three-stage tower. The 1938 hurricane damaged the 90-foot spire, which was replaced by a seven-foot dome. A brick parish house was added in 1926. The building was recognized as an outstanding local example of Romanesque Revival design and one of the finer mid-to-late nineteenth-century churches of that style in the Boston area. It also records the town's religious history, from Calvinist parish to Universalist, and since 1964 a Greek Orthodox congregation, St. Athanasius the Great.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church has integrity of location, materials, workmanship, association and design since 1860. It is described as an unusual and outstanding local example of Romanesque Revival design, attributed to architect Thomas W. Silloway. It also reflects Arlington's long religious history.
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 83000805, listed June 23, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 735 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | June 23, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000805 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Thomas W. Silloway (1860 alterations) |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival (originally Greek Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in religious use by a Greek Orthodox congregation since 1964; a major stabilization funded by a Community Development Block Grant and private donations was planned. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Arlington Center Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 42.41658, -71.15690 (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 83000805.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5759620
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.