Compton Building
Why it's listed
Rising eleven stories between Devonshire and Arch Streets in Boston's Financial District, this Classical Revival office building was designed in 1902-1903 by the firm Winslow and Bigelow. Its buff brick and light stone facade follows the tripartite pattern common to early skyscrapers, with a two-story base, a seven-story midsection and a decorated two-story top. A steel frame supports the structure. Contemporary reports said 65 percent of its office space was reserved before construction began, and early tenants included lawyers, insurance agents and real estate agents. Later occupants included manufacturers, consulates and a secretarial school, and the ground floor gained shops by the 1930s. A connector building added in 1979-1981 now joins it to the neighboring International Trust Building. Today it holds a hotel and a ground-floor pub. It was listed for its architecture as an intact example of a Classical Revival tall office building, and for its link to the growth of the Financial District after the 1872 Great Fire.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion C as the work of the prominent Boston firm Winslow and Bigelow and as an example of the turn-of-the-century steel-frame skyscraper in Boston. Under Criterion A it reflects the growth of the Financial District as it shifted from a small-scale, mixed-use downtown to a district of tall office buildings. It retains its integrity despite window replacement and added marquees.
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 08001284, listed December 31, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 159, 161-175 Devonshire St., 18-20 Arch St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | December 31, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08001284 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1902/3 - 1958 |
| Architect / builder | Winslow and Bigelow |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revival: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Upper floors are now hotel rooms, and the ground floor holds a pub restaurant; a 1979-1981 connector building links it to the International Trust Building. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.35608, -71.05782 (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 08001284.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5157146
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.