Montrose, The
Why it's listed
Built in 1898 at 1648 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, the Montrose is a six-story yellow brick apartment house designed by J.S. Harold. Its Italian Renaissance details include a copper cornice with modillions, belt courses, a different window treatment on each story, and small marble-faced circles above the center entry. The arched wooden classical entry is supported by fluted Ionic columns. The building blends well with its neighbor, the Dunvegan. Together, the two were the first luxury French flat apartment houses constructed in Cambridge. Each floor originally held two ten-room units. After the turn of the century, the large homesteads along Massachusetts Avenue increasingly gave way to apartment buildings and then commercial development, as the trolley brought in a different class of residents. The Montrose is valued both for its architectural character and for showing how that change took place along the avenue. It remains in residential use with no major alterations recorded.
Significance in brief: The Montrose and its neighbor the Dunvegan were the first luxury French flat apartment houses built in Cambridge. The building illustrates the transformation of Massachusetts Avenue from large homesteads to apartments and commercial uses after the turn of the century. It also has Italian Renaissance architectural details.
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 86001311, listed May 19, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1648 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | May 19, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001311 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | J.S. Harold |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as residential in present use, with no major alterations recorded. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.38132, -71.12071 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 86001311.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7752132
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.