Second Waterhouse House
Why it's listed
Built in 1844 at 9 Follen Street, a block from Cambridge Common, this wooden Greek Revival house was constructed by Charles Saunders for Mrs. Benjamin Waterhouse. It went up as building activity in Old Cambridge was picking up, during the decade when Greek Revival style reached its height in the city. Few temple-fronted houses were built in Cambridge, and the side-hall or center-entrance type was far more common. Bainbridge Bunting judged this house the best example of that type. Its character comes from a full projecting entablature, heavy window frames with crossettes, corner pilaster strips, large dormers, and an entrance porch with Doric columns. Inside, heavy moldings, marble mantels, and a modified four-room plan survive, along with traces of an early hot-air furnace and a ground-floor privy. The Bowen family bought the house in 1853, and it later passed to the Cambridge Historical Society, which sold it with provisions for preservation. It is still a residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant under Criterion A for helping explain Cambridge's development during the 1840s, when building activity in Old Cambridge was picking up. It is significant under Criterion C as an exceptional example of Greek Revival design. Architectural historian Bainbridge Bunting considered it the best example of the side-hall or center-entrance Greek Revival type in Cambridge.
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 83000827, listed June 30, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 9 Follen St., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | June 30, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000827 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Charles Saunders (builder); architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the form records no alterations and no move, and describes the house as beautifully preserved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Follen Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.37886, -71.12233 (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 83000827.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7443643
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.