Pleasant Street Congregational Church
Also known as: Orthodox Congregational Church
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1844 at the corner of Pleasant and Maple Streets in Arlington, this wood-frame church was raised by a small group of conservative worshippers who broke away from the town's First Parish and called themselves Orthodox Congregationalists. Joseph Sanger was the churchwright; it is not known whether he also designed it. The white clapboard building has a pedimented entrance pavilion and a three-stage tower. Its trim is mostly Greek Revival, but a pair of fluted Egyptian Revival columns gives the facade an unusual accent. The spire has been replaced several times, after the 1871 cyclone and the 1938 hurricane, with the present one dating from 1964. The rear was lengthened in 1883, and a brick parish house was added in 1955. The church is valued as a local example of Greek Revival design and as the only early Arlington church still held by its original congregation, which later became known for community service programs.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is a distinctive local example of Greek Revival church architecture, one of few major buildings of that style left in Arlington. It also has rarely used Egyptian Revival detailing. It is the only early church in town still occupied by its original congregation, and it reflects Arlington's 19th-century growth.
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 83000823, listed June 23, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 75 Pleasant St., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | June 23, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000823 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Joseph Sanger (Contractor) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival with Egyptian Revival detailing |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in religious use by the congregation; the exterior is described as substantially as first built, with a 1964 replacement spire and a 1955 parish house. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Arlington Center Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 42.41390, -71.15584 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 83000823.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7203969
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.