Larrabee's Brick Block
Why it's listed
Larrabee's Brick Block is a three-story brick building at 500-504 Main Street in downtown Melrose, Massachusetts. Built in 1880 to designs by Boston architect John Eaton, it has a straight slate mansard roof, two iron storefronts on the ground floor and apartments above. Brick detailing, scrolled brackets and angled bay windows decorate the street front. The site earlier held Unity Hall, which survived an 1870 fire that leveled much of Main Street's west side, but nothing of that building remains. John Larrabee, a local druggist who later served as town clerk, state representative and mayor, commissioned the block. It is cited as a representative post-Civil War mansard-roofed commercial building and as one of only two unaltered nineteenth century commercial structures in the town center. It still houses shops at street level and apartments above, with original tin ceilings and woodwork inside.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it represents the small mansard-roofed commercial blocks built after the Civil War and is one of only two unaltered nineteenth century commercial structures in downtown Melrose. It is also tied to its first owner, John Larrabee, a prominent local citizen, and to the growth of Melrose's commercial center in the later nineteenth century.
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 84002729, listed March 29, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 500-504 Main St., Melrose |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | March 29, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002729 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | John Eaton |
| Architectural style | Mansard-roofed commercial block (post-Civil War) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains in its original use, with small businesses on the ground floor and apartments above; the interior is little altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.45573, -71.06546 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 84002729.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6489776
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.