Boston Edison Electric Illuminating Company
Why it's listed
This ten-story office building stands at Boylston Street and Bumstead Court in Boston. It was built as headquarters for the Edison Electric Illuminating Company, with the main section, #33-39, constructed in 1906-7 and a matching addition, #23-27, completed in 1922. Winslow & Bigelow designed the first phase; the successor firm, Bigelow & Wadsworth, carefully matched its style and materials in the second. The design shows Beaux Arts detailing: banded rustication on the second floor, a stone balcony on heavy console brackets, a cartouche over the entrance with a mosaic Edison inscription, copper torcheres in third-story niches, and a bracketed stone cornice. Because it was built in two stages, the composition appears lopsided under the strict symmetry of Beaux Arts classicism. Edison used it as offices into the 1950s, after which it became stores and offices. The first floor has been heavily altered, but the upper building is well preserved. It sits at the edge of the Piano Row district.
Significance in brief: The form describes it as a notable Beaux Arts skyscraper by a well-known Boston architectural firm, solidly built and well preserved. It contributes to the streetscape, though the two-stage construction leaves it lopsided, as if a west section were missing. It is part of a multiple resource area covering Boston's theater and music-industry buildings.
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 80000453, listed December 9, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 25-39 Boylston St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | December 9, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000453 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architects: Winslow & Bigelow (1906), Bigelow & Wadsworth (1922). Builders: Whidden & Co (1906), Geo. B. H. Macomber (1922). |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as Boston Edison offices through the 1950s, then sold and converted to stores and offices. First floor heavily altered; condition described as well preserved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.35238, -71.06352 (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 80000453.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4947892
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.