Tufts, Peter and Oliver, House
Why it's listed
Located at 78 Sycamore Street in Somerville's Winter Hill area, this gambrel-roofed dwelling was built between 1714 and 1719 and is one of only two 18th century houses surviving in the neighborhood. It is two and one-half stories and five bays wide, and it keeps its original form despite later changes. Those changes include shingle sheathing, which was being replaced with clapboards and 6/6 sash windows, and a mid-19th century Italianate doorhood with heavily carved brackets. The house was moved in 1892 to a position farther back on the same lot. It is named for Peter Tufts, who bought it in 1778, and Oliver Tufts, and the name commemorates the family's ownership from 1787 into the 1900s. Tufts eventually assembled a farm reaching west to Central Street and south of the Boston-Lowell railroad tracks. The house reflects Somerville's change from farmland to industrial community, and it is still in residential use in good condition.
Significance in brief: It is one of only two surviving 18th century houses in the Winter Hill area of Somerville. It is important architecturally and historically to the town's development and represents the shift from an agricultural to an industrial community. It retains integrity of design, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.
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 89001287, listed September 18, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 78 Sycamore St., Somerville |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 18, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001287 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Georgian with Federal alterations |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is stated as good; the house is in residential use and was being rehabilitated with clapboards and 6/6 sash windows. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.39098, -71.10002 (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 89001287.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7177871
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.