House at 21 Dartmouth Street
Why it's listed
Built around 1890, this Queen Anne style house at 21 Dartmouth Street in Somerville sits in an urban neighborhood of late 19th-century single and two-family homes. Its walls are shingle and clapboard, and it has had no major alterations. Notable details include a pargetted gable, a chimney with threaded brickwork and terracotta tiles, and shingles applied to follow the contours of the porch roof. Similar houses at numbers 13, 15, 17, 19 and 23 suggest one builder worked on the street. The house belongs to the Stickney subdivision, platted in 1883 by Rufus Stickney and John Poor, partners in a mustard and spice firm, who intended large lots for businessmen's homes. Deed research suggests it may have been Stickney's own house. Most of the well-detailed houses in the subdivision have been altered, but this is one of only a few that remain near original condition, which supports its local significance for architecture and for the pattern of development.
Significance in brief: The house keeps its original design, materials and workmanship, and displays intact Queen Anne details such as a pargetted gable and a terracotta-tiled chimney. It reflects the late-19th-century development of the Stickney subdivision by local businessmen. It is one of few houses in that subdivision remaining in near original condition.
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 89001255, listed September 18, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 21 Dartmouth St., Somerville |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 18, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001255 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as excellent; in use as a residence with no major alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.39086, -71.09674 (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 89001255.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715574
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.