Urban Rowhouse
Why it's listed
Five connected brick houses at 30-38 Pearl Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, were built in 1874 for Hiram A. Gerrish and remain in residential use. The architect is not known. Built of brick in a Ruskinian Gothic or panelled brick manner, the row has ornamental banding in red and black brick, a decoration popular in the 1870s. Each house is topped by a steeply pitched mansard roof, which gave the attic story more usable headroom. The group was listed because it shows how growing demand for housing led to denser use of land. Its continuous street facades and masonry look created a distinctly urban streetscape, quite different from the detached wooden houses around it. The recorded survey notes that the buildings have not been altered or moved, and the reviewer described them as significant rowhouse examples worth considering together with the other rowhouse group on Pearl Street.
Significance in brief: The row represents the 1870s shift toward denser urban housing as pressure for dwellings grew. Its continuous masonry street facade contrasts with the surrounding detached wooden houses. The brick banding in red and black reflects a popular 1870s ornamental style, and each house has a steeply pitched mansard roof for usable attic headroom.
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 82001983, listed April 13, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 30-38 Pearl St., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001983 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect anonymous |
| Architectural style | Ruskinian Gothic/Panelled Brick |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the form records no alterations and no moves. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.36390, -71.10349 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 82001983.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7900006
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.