Reversible Collar Company Building
Why it's listed
Rising behind Mount Auburn Street and Arrow Street in Cambridge, this factory complex grew in pieces from the early 1860s to 1907. Frame and brick sections wrap around one another, and the masonry shells and post-and-beam structures remain largely intact. Features include a mansard-roofed 1870 block, a fireproof engine house with a tall chimney, a 129-foot Arrow Street addition designed in 1889 by S. S. Woodcock, and a 1907 brick addition by Charles Gannett. Together they show the move from wood to metal framing, from pitched to flat roofs, and from ornate to plain facades. The site began with printers, then passed in 1867 to the Reversible Collar Company, which made paper and cloth collars and later other coated papers. Boston Bookbinding Company and a die-cutting firm followed, and manufacturing ended in 1967. Its conversion to offices was among the earliest of its kind in the area. It was listed for its architecture and for its link to Cambridge's industrial growth.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex is a well-preserved example of mill building vernacular industrial architecture, with sections showing the shift from wood to metal framing and from pitched to flat roofs. It is also tied to Cambridge's industrial growth, including paper collar manufacture and printing, and to an early conversion of a factory to offices. It is rated significant at the local level under criteria A and C.
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 85002663, listed September 27, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 25--27 Mt. Auburn & 10--12 Arrow Sts., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 27, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002663 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1860-1907 |
| Architect / builder | S.S. Woodcock (1889 section); Charles Gannett (1907 section, listed as architect, with Mitchell Sutherland as "mechanic") |
| Architectural style | Mill Building Vernacular, Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is commercial and offices; converted to offices in the late 1960s and 1970 after manufacturing ended in 1967. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Harvard Square Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 42.37089, -71.11489 (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 85002663.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7318290
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.