House at 9 Linden Street
Why it's listed
Set on Linden Street in Brookline, this clapboard house combines Greek Revival and Italianate styling beneath a high, curved slate mansard roof. Details include pedimented dormers, modillions under wide eaves, a Greek key motif on the frieze, and a band of three narrow second-floor windows topped by arches. Isaac Rich, a Wellfleet-born shipping and fish-dealing merchant, built it between 1844 and 1855 on land in the Linden Place subdivision laid out in 1843 by Thomas Aspinwall Davis. Rich later left much of his fortune to Boston University, then the Boston Theological Seminary, where he served as incorporator and trustee. By 1871 the house belonged to Edward E. Floyd, a Boston dry goods merchant, who moved it between 1884 and 1888 to make way for commercial development along Harvard Street. The mansard roof was probably added in the late 1860s. Renovations in 1980 restored the porch, added a third floor to the rear ell and a triple front dormer. It remains one of the few survivors of the subdivision.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of a small number of surviving houses from the 1843 Linden Place subdivision. It is an unusual combination of Greek Revival and Italianate styles with a mansard roof. It was built by Isaac Rich, an incorporator and benefactor of the Boston Theological Seminary (now Boston University).
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 85003293, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 9 Linden St., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003293 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect not available; built for Isaac Rich |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival/Italianate with mansard roof |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Commerce, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; porch restored and third floor added to the ell in 1980. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.33463, -71.11841 (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 85003293.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914514
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.