Saunders, William, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1843, this Greek Revival house at 6 Prentiss Street in Cambridge was made by master builder William Saunders for his son. It was later moved from Massachusetts Avenue to its current site, around 1926, which likely saved it from demolition as commercial pressure grew along the avenue. The front gable end suggests a temple without a full portico: tall applied pilasters, Tuscan at the corners and Ionic in the middle, support a cornice carried across the gable like a classical pediment. The porch entablature is decorated with wreaths. Despite replacement of the original porch column shafts, its detailing has largely survived. Only three other Saunders works remain in Cambridge, and this house has the latest date of the four, showing his mature style. It is also the only Greek Revival house of its date in the area to survive unaltered. It was listed for its role in developing the North Avenue community and as an important example of its type and style.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a handsome, intact example of a building type that has not survived in large numbers in Cambridge. It gets its temple-front effect from colossal applied pilasters and a cornice carried across the gable. It is one of only four surviving Saunders works in Cambridge, and the only house of its date in this group that is unaltered. It also relates to the development of the North Avenue community after the railroad began passenger service.
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 83000825, listed June 30, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 6 Prentiss St., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | June 30, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000825 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | William Saunders, builder |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a nursing home at the time of the form; altered circa 1960, with the original porch column shafts replaced. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.38415, -71.11898 (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 83000825.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8018137
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.