Dorothy Q Apartments
Why it's listed
Dorothy Q Apartments is a brick apartment house at 36 Butler Road in Quincy, Massachusetts, completed in 1929 at a reported cost of $150,000. It was built by William G. Shaw, owner of a Quincy furniture company, and designed by the Boston firm Graves and Epps. The name comes from the neighboring Dorothy Quincy House. It was one of several brick apartment buildings raised near Quincy Center to house the city's rapidly growing population in the 1920s. The complex has two rectangular blocks joined at one end around a courtyard and offers 34 units. Georgian details in limestone, including corner quoins, keystones over windows and a modillioned cornice, relieve its blocky massing. The central entrance has a bracketed doorhood and a pedimented marble plaque bearing the name. It is considered the finest of the firm's Quincy apartment buildings, and it keeps its original design, materials and setting, with no major alterations and very good condition.
Significance in brief: The building is presented as a handsome example of Colonial Revival design and the finest of several brick apartment buildings Graves and Eppes designed in Quincy in the 1920s. Its construction was a direct result of Quincy's population growth in that decade. It is argued to meet Criteria A and C at the local level and to retain integrity.
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 89001322, listed September 20, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 36 Butler Rd., Quincy |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | September 20, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001322 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Graves and Epps (also spelled Graves and Eppes), Boston architects; built by William G. Shaw |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as very good, with no major alterations and no outbuildings; in present use as an apartment building. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.25820, -71.00674 (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 89001322.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5298601
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.