Watson, Abraham, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1750, this Georgian farmhouse at 181-83 Sherman Street in Northwest Cambridge began life at 2140 Massachusetts Avenue. It was moved to its current site in 1847-48 as pressure for new development grew. The clapboard house has a gambrel roof, a two-room center-hall plan and a symmetrical five-bay facade, with a cornice over the second-story windows and moulded sills and crowns on the remaining window frames. These features point to the prosperity of its original owner, Abraham Watson Jr. (1729-1781). Watson served on the Committee of Correspondence in 1772, represented the town in the Provincial Congress in 1774, and later was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention held in Cambridge in 1779-1780. A skirmish with British troops retreating from Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 took place very near the house, which may have served briefly as a hospital. It is recognized as the oldest surviving Georgian building outside Old Cambridge and remains a residence.
Significance in brief: It is described as the oldest surviving example of Georgian architecture beyond Old Cambridge and one of two surviving houses in Northwest Cambridge built before 1775. Its owner, Abraham Watson Jr., took part in Revolutionary-era government, and a skirmish with retreating British troops on April 19, 1775 occurred near the house. Its symmetrical facade and refined window details reflect the owner's prosperity.
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 82001984, listed April 13, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 181-183 Sherman St., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001984 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the house was moved in 1847-48 but is otherwise recorded as unaltered. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.39239, -71.12121 (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 82001984.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4669222
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.