Ireland, Samuel, House
Why it's listed
Built about 1792, this small shingled cottage at 117 Washington Street in far eastern Somerville is one of the city's earliest surviving houses. Samuel Ireland, a farmer and grandson of Jonathan Ireland, probably built it. The one-and-a-half story house has a five-bay facade that reflects its original arrangement of doors, and narrow strips of early molding remain at the eaves and around the window frames. Later changes include twentieth century replacement windows and dormers, yet the building keeps its original plan and modest detailing. It is the only documentable eighteenth century house in the Cobble Hill area. When it was built, Cobble Hill was a rise of rock running south from Washington Street onto the flats of the Miller's River estuary. Washington Street was a busy route between Charlestown and Cambridge, and the road to Joseph Barrell's estate on Cobble Hill, later the McLean Asylum, began opposite the house. It is considered locally significant for its architecture.
Significance in brief: It is described as the only documentable 18th century residence in the Cobble Hill area and one of the earliest surviving houses in Somerville. It keeps its original plan and modest decorative detailing, including narrow original moldings at the eaves and window frames. It is judged significant under 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 89001299, listed September 18, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 117 Washington, Somerville |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 18, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001299 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Ireland (probable builder); architect: none |
| Architectural style | Cape-style cottage |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded in good condition, in present use as a residence, not moved; 20th century window replacements and dormers noted. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.38131, -71.08694 (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 89001299.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7411778
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.