Lincoln Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Old Ship Meeting House; Lincoln, Gen. Benjamin, Hous
Why it's listed
Hingham's Lincoln Historic District covers roughly 260 acres north of the town's center, beside Hingham Harbor. It follows the early streets laid out along Town Brook, including North, South, Lincoln and Main Streets. The district contains 568 contributing resources: houses, churches, a school, civic buildings, monuments and a cemetery. Twelve houses date from the 17th century, though their exteriors have been encased or rebuilt, and about sixty-seven more follow the 18th century Colonial form. Many buildings grew by additions over time, such as the General Benjamin Lincoln House, begun in 1667 and enlarged in 1715 and 1790. The Old Ship Meeting House of 1681 is described as the oldest building in ecclesiastical use in the United States, known for its "Hingham truss." The district was listed because its downtown streetscapes have survived with unusual integrity, and because Hingham builders favored conservative styles, returning repeatedly to Colonial and Colonial Revival forms.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the district as one of the best preserved groupings of 17th, 18th and 19th century residential streetscapes in southeastern Massachusetts. It holds twelve surviving 17th century houses and about sixty-seven Colonial houses. It also includes the Old Ship Meeting House (1681) and the General Benjamin Lincoln House, both National Historic Landmarks. Most of Hingham's commercial, civic and religious buildings are concentrated here.
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 90001728, listed January 7, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly, North & South Sts. from West to Water Sts., Main St. S to Garrison Rd., & Lincoln St. & Fearing Rd. N to Miles, Hingham |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | January 7, 1991 |
| Reference number | 90001728 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | William Roger Greeley (Memorial Bell Tower, 1912); Edgar T. P. Walker (Old Ship Meeting House restoration) |
| Architectural style | Colonial/Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Shingle Style, Romanesque, Colonial Revival, Craftsman |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Education, European, Science, Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most buildings remain in residential, commercial, civic and religious use. The General Benjamin Lincoln House is lived in by one of his descendants, and the Old Ordinary is a house museum. |
| Acreage | 260 |
| Coordinates | 42.24071, -70.90056 (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 90001728.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6550750
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.