Burgess, Frank, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1913 on Wollaston Hill in Quincy, this stucco house at 355 Highland Avenue was designed by Cleveland and Godfrey for Frank Burgess, owner of Boston Gear Works. Burgess (1860-1929) bought the gear maker from its founder in 1891 and moved it from Boston to Norfolk Downs, where he became a pioneer in gear standardization. The house has a rectangular plan, a hip roof and a central entrance. Its low-pitched hipped tile roof, dormers, grouped double-hung windows and stucco walls reflect Prairie School design, while the open-rafter entrance portico draws on Craftsman Bungalow architecture. Most Quincy houses of the 1910s were Colonial Revival, so this design is fairly unusual locally. Highland Avenue was developed mainly in the 1880s and 1890s, making this one of the street's later residences. It is still a single-family home in good condition. The original two-car garage has been altered and does not contribute to the property's historic character.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to Frank Burgess, owner of Boston Gear Works, a prominent Quincy industrialist who bought the company in 1891 and moved it to Norfolk Downs. It is an architect-designed example of Prairie School and Craftsman Bungalow influences, which is unusual in a city where most houses of the period were Colonial Revival. The form cites Criteria A, B and C at the local level.
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 89001354, listed September 20, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 355 Highland Ave., Quincy |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | September 20, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001354 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Cleveland and Godfrey |
| Architectural style | Prairie School / Craftsman Bungalow |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a single-family dwelling in good condition; no major alterations are listed, though the original garage has been altered and is noncontributing. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.26008, -71.02256 (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 89001354.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5485546
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.