Chelsea Square Historic District
Also known as: Broay Square; Winnisimmet Square
Why it's listed
Chelsea Square Historic District covers the original site of Winnisimmet village, settled in 1624 and later incorporated as the town and then city of Chelsea. It has three sections. Area I is the commercial heart around Chelsea Square, with Stebbins Fountain of 1898, the 1906 Old Post Office, the 1844 Gerrish Block, Tremont Hall and the 1897 Police/Court Building. Thirteen of its buildings predate the 1908 fire that destroyed more than 3,000 Chelsea structures. Area II, the most altered part, includes the former Winnisimmet Ferry landing, which operated until 1917, and former rubber works buildings, along with intact rowhouse streets. Area III is mainly residential, with mid to late 19th century brick rowhouses, early apartment buildings such as The Imperial, and the ca. 1805 Gardner House, described as the finest Federal style residence in Chelsea. Together these resources show the city's commercial, industrial and residential growth through the 19th century.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents Area I as the finest and most intact grouping of mid-19th and early-20th century commercial architecture in Chelsea, including buildings that survived the 1908 fire. The district also holds the original settlement site, the Winnisimmet Ferry landing, and rowhouse streets showing the span of 19th century residential styles. The text states no criteria or period of significance in the portion provided.
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 09000144, listed April 8, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly area around Broadway, Medford. Tremont, Park, Cross and Winnisimmet Sts., Chelsea |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | April 8, 1982 |
| Reference number | 09000144 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Wilson and Weber (Police/Court Building); James Hubley (The Imperial); George Gerrish (builder/owner of several buildings) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Renaissance Revival, High Victorian Gothic, Georgian Revival, Federal, Panelled Brick |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked as occupied; Area II has eleven vacant lots and six modern structures, and Stebbins Fountain is again in operation after forty years out of service. |
| Coordinates | 42.38886, -71.04004 (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 09000144.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.