Vinal, Albert, House
Why it's listed
Perched on a terrace high above Harvard Street in Cambridge, this clapboard Greek Revival mansion was built in 1853-54 for Albert Vinal, a Boston businessman dealing in lumber, wood, coal and lime. It occupies land that was once part of the Dana estate. Wide plain pilasters mark the facade, and a side portico has fluted columns of a composite order. Balconies, an ornate entrance porch and a polygonal bay appear to be additions of the 1870s. Harvard Street between Prospect Street and Massachusetts Avenue was divided into house lots in the 1830s, and by 1854 thirty-three houses stood there, including some of the city's finest Greek Revival mansions. This house is one of only ten surviving single family homes on the street and one of two surviving among five large houses at the crest of Dana Hill. Vinal also developed real estate in Mid Cambridge, subdividing part of the former Inman estate in 1868. The house is recognized for its role in the street's development and as a good example of its style.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites Criterion A for the house's association with the development of Harvard Street and Dana Hill, and Criterion C as an important example of its type and style. It is one of only ten surviving single family homes on Harvard Street and one of two surviving houses from the five that stood at the crest of Dana Hill.
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 83000834, listed June 30, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 325 Harvard St., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | June 30, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000834 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by Albert Vinal (original owner) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.37057, -71.10784 (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 83000834.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4711392
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.