Saint Mary of the Assumption Church, Rectory, School and Convent
Why it's listed
Saint Mary of the Assumption in Brookline is a four-building Catholic parish complex on Harvard Street and Linden Place. It grew from the first Catholic parish in Brookline, formed in 1852 by Irish immigrants, many of whom had come to work on the railroad. The present red brick church, with Longmeadow brownstone trim and a 146-foot tower, was designed by Peabody and Stearns in 1880 and dedicated in 1886. The same firm converted an existing house into the Victorian Gothic rectory. In 1906 the Neo-Gothic brick school, designed by Boston architect F. Joseph Untersee, was built. The convent is a c. 1843 Greek Revival house moved in 1899 and later enlarged and bricked over. The complex is recognized for its link to the Irish community, to priests Joseph Finotti and Lawrence Morris, and for the quality of its Gothic Revival architecture across several decades.
Significance in brief: The complex is tied to the growth of Brookline's Irish Catholic community and to two notable priests, Father Joseph Finotti and Father Lawrence Morris. Its church and rectory were designed by Peabody and Stearns and its school by F. Joseph Untersee. Together the buildings show the Gothic Revival style evolving from the 1880s through the 1920s.
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 85003311, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 67 Harvard St. and 3 and 5 Linden Pl., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003311 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Peabody and Stearns (church and rectory); F. Joseph Untersee (school) |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic (church, rectory); Neo-Gothic (school); Greek Revival (convent) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Church, rectory and school are in religious use; the convent still serves as a convent. Convent, garage and a c. 1920 high school are considered noncontributing. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 42.33524, -71.11928 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 85003311.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7401870
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.