Green Hill Historic District
Why it's listed
Green Hill is a neighborhood of about 70 acres in Brookline, Massachusetts, centered on Warren Street, Cottage Street and part of the former Sargent estate. Its roughly two dozen houses range from late 18th-century farmhouses to early 20th-century residences, many set on large landscaped lots. Three summer homes in the West Indies style, with overhanging roofs on light columns, are the most notable buildings, alongside Federal and Gothic Revival houses and the 1845 stone Sargent house attributed to Richard Upjohn. Land here passed from early colonial allotments to Brookline farmers, then in 1793 to merchant George Cabot, beginning a wave of wealthy Boston merchant families who built summer homes. The area also has a strong horticultural tradition, including the Holm Lea estate of Ignatius and Charles Sprague Sargent and landscape work linked to the Olmsted firm. Narrow winding roads, stone walls and preserved plantings keep its 19th-century feel.
Significance in brief: The district was home to the first group of Boston merchants who built summer homes in Brookline, helping establish its reputation as a wealthy suburb. It contains former homes of influential families such as the Cabots, Perkinses, Sargents and Gardners. It also holds some of the town's oldest and most architecturally distinguished houses and notable designed landscapes.
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 85003272, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly Warren St., Sargent Rd., and Cottage St., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003272 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Richard Upjohn (attributed, 209 Sargent Road); John Charles Olmsted (12 Fairmount Street); Chapman and Frazer (45 and 75 Cottage Street); George Harvey (278 Warren Street); E.A. Snow (230 Warren Street); Guy Lowell (186 Warren Street) |
| Architectural style | West Indies style, Federal, Gothic Revival, Shingle, Medieval Revival, English Cottage and Jacobethan |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Landscape Architecture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most properties are rated contributing; a few later houses are non-contributing. The district has kept much of its 19th-century character through winding roads, stone walls, preserved landscaping and one-acre zoning. |
| Acreage | 70 |
| Coordinates | 42.32165, -71.13365 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 85003272.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5602654
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.