Russell, Philemon, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1850 as a farmhouse, this Greek Revival home at 25 Russell Street sits in an urban residential neighborhood near the Somerville and Cambridge border. It is a three-bay, 2 1/2-story sidehall house clad in clapboard, with its enclosed gable end facing the street. Notable features include six-over-six sash windows, an offset entrance framed by a transom and sidelights, a full-width one-story Doric porch, wide corner pilasters, a slate roof and a two-story rear ell. It has no recorded major alterations and remains in good condition on its original site. The house is considered one of the best-preserved Greek Revival residences in Somerville and among the earliest homes between North Street and Davis Square. It is linked to Philemon Russell, a farmer and nurseryman who subdivided his 50 acres in 1845, creating streets that straddled North Cambridge and Somerville. The Russell family had owned the land since before the Revolution, in an area once called Watson's Plain.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the best-preserved Greek Revival residences in Somerville and one of the few surviving three-bay, 2 1/2-story Greek Revival sidehall farmhouses. It also appears to be among the earliest homes between North Street (now Massachusetts Avenue) and Davis Square. It is tied to Philemon Russell, a farmer and nurseryman who subdivided his land in 1845.
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 89001282, listed September 18, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 25 Russell St., Somerville |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 18, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001282 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; condition is good; no major alterations; on its original site. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.39272, -71.12267 (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 89001282.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7183024
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.