House at 5 Prospect Hill
Why it's listed
Standing on the north slope of Prospect Hill in Somerville, this brick house is one of the few Queen Anne style buildings in the city built of brick rather than wood. Its decoration is well preserved. Bands of inset terracotta run as string courses across the walls, the arched window openings are picked out in contrasting colors, and the front gable is trimmed with punchwork bargeboarding. Prospect Hill Avenue was cut through from Munroe Street to Medford Street between 1874 and 1884, and the house was built around 1880 on a lot subdivided by W. H. Thompson. Brick houses were uncommon in the area at that time. The building has had no major alterations, has not been moved, and remains in good condition as a residence, with a 20th-century garage on the lot. Its intact design, materials and workmanship led to its recognition for architectural significance at the local level.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of Somerville's few examples of Queen Anne style executed in brick. Its decorative detailing is well preserved, including inset terracotta string courses, polychrome arched window openings and punchwork bargeboarding. It is argued to meet Criterion C at the local level.
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 89001281, listed September 18, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5 Prospect Hill, Somerville |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 18, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001281 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is stated as good, with no major alterations and not moved. A 20th-century garage is noted as a non-contributing outbuilding. Present use is residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.38196, -71.09097 (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 89001281.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914431
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.