House at 12 Linden Street
Why it's listed
Built between 1843 and 1844, this clapboard house at 12 Linden Street in Brookline was part of a subdivision and development plan for its neighborhood. It was built for Charles W. Scudder, a Boston hardware merchant who worked on Federal Street and served as treasurer and auditor of the Harvard Congregational Society. His family owned the house through 1893. The design shows Greek Revival influence, seen in the pedimented gable, heavy cornice with a simple frieze, and pilastered cornerboards. It is one of three Linden Street houses clearly in this style, alongside numbers 19 and 53. Like those two, it was built and first owned by a merchant. The house also illustrates how parts of Brookline Village were developed for residents who commuted to Boston even before the railroad arrived, converting former farmland to housing. Because modern infill has altered the area, only a few Linden Place houses survive. It is now a multi-family residence with 1978 dormers and a repaired rear porch.
Significance in brief: The house is one of a small number remaining from the 1843 Linden Place residential subdivision. It is also a rare local example of the Greek Revival style, shown in its pedimented gable, heavy cornice with simple frieze, and pilastered cornerboards. It also reflects early commuter development by Boston merchants in Brookline Village before the railroad arrived.
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 85003279, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 12 Linden St., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003279 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect information not available; built for and first owned by Charles W. Scudder |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential (multi-family). Alterations in 1978 included repair of the rear porch and addition of dormers. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.33445, -71.11816 (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 85003279.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5913921
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.