Berger Factory
Why it's listed
Located on Williams Street in Roxbury, this brick factory was built in 1902 for C.L. Berger and Sons, makers of engineering and surveying instruments. The main block rises three stories and measures about 100 by 45 feet. A one-story wing added in 1907 forms an ell, and both sections have flat roofs. The facade has bands of ten eight-over-eight windows with stone sills and brick arches or stone lintels, along with corbelled brick and pilaster strips at the stair bay. A smaller two-story brick and concrete building from 1924 stands on the site. The exterior has seen no important alterations. The property was listed mainly for its industrial associations. Founded in 1871 by German-born Christian Louis Berger, the company was among the first American firms to produce precision instruments that had previously been imported. Its instruments were used on the Panama Canal, Boulder Dam, the Tennessee Valley Authority and polar expeditions. The firm stayed until 1976, and the building was being converted to housing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant mainly for non-architectural reasons, tied to Roxbury's industrial development. It housed the Berger Company, one of the first American makers of precision engineering and surveying instruments, which ended reliance on imports from Germany and England. Berger instruments were used on projects such as the Panama Canal, Boulder Dam and the TVA.
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 80000677, listed April 9, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 37 Williams St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | April 9, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000677 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | George Moffette; Henry J Preston |
| Architectural style | Typical turn-of-the-century vernacular factory building |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Being converted into housing; the Berger firm moved to Mattapan in 1976. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.33276, -71.08254 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 80000677.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715403
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.