House at 4 Perry Street
Why it's listed
Built in 1843-44 by William Wellman, a Boston banker who worked on State Street, this Greek Revival house at 4 Perry Street in Brookline was among the first three houses erected after Linden Square was laid out on former Holden land. Until 1903 it faced Linden Place, when it was moved to make way for two apartment buildings and later converted to two families. Its front gable faces the street, with a side bay, flushboarding, a pedimented gable and elaborate pilasters. The porch columns are especially distinctive, with capitals carrying an Egyptian-style lotus leaf motif rather than the more common Doric form; only one other Brookline house, at 7 Holden Street, has similar columns. Surrounded by apartment houses and triple deckers, it remains one of the few older homes nearby that is relatively unaltered. Recent repairs and ongoing maintenance have left it well preserved, and it helps convey the scale of the 19th-century neighborhood.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house was one of the original dwellings of the Linden Place subdivision and a fine example of Greek Revival architecture. Its Egyptian-style porch columns with lotus or acanthus leaf capitals are matched by only one other house in Brookline. It has also remained relatively unaltered and well preserved, contributing to the streetscape.
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 85003287, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4 Perry St., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003287 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Built by William Wellman (architect information not available) |
| 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; the form describes it as well preserved after recent column repair and ongoing maintenance. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.33546, -71.11735 (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 85003287.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914357
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.