Sterling, Ella Mahalla Cutter, House
Why it's listed
Set atop a low rise on a broad lawn at 93 Summer Street in Arlington, this farmhouse dates to about 1840-1865 and is described as the finest Greek Revival house in its part of town. Its clapboard walls carry a full pedimented gable, corner pilasters, a one-story Doric porch and a side-lighted entrance. An ell made up of several sections, extended over time, is attached to the southeast wall. A low stone retaining wall, granite posts and an iron gate frame the property. An 1875 atlas lists the house under E.M.C. Sterling, probably Ella Mahalla Cutter Sterling, daughter of J. Cyrus Cutter, who then farmed most of the surrounding land. The Cutters were prominent in Arlington affairs from the early eighteenth century, when John Cutter became deacon of the newly organized Northwest Precinct of Cambridge. The house was listed for its architecture, as an intact example of the Greek Revival style.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the finest Greek Revival house in its section of Arlington and an intact example of the style, retaining integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association. It is also tied to the Cutter family, prominent in Arlington since the early eighteenth century. It meets criterion 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 85001047, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 93 Summer St., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001047 |
| 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 residential; the ell has been extended several times. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.41909, -71.15735 (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 85001047.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5364537
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.