Dimock Community Health Center Complex
Also known as: New England Hospital for Women and Children
Why it's listed
Eight major buildings on a nine-acre hill in Roxbury make up the former New England Hospital for Women and Children, today the Dimock Community Health Center. Constructed between 1872 and 1930, the buildings follow curving drives around outcroppings of puddingstone rock. They show a progression from Stick Style and High Victorian Gothic to Georgian and Classical Revival design, by Cummings and Sears, John A. Fox, and Kendall, Taylor and Company. The hospital was incorporated in 1863 and founded by Dr. Marie E. Zakrzewska with Lucy Goddard and Edna Dow Cheney to give women care from physicians of their own sex and to train women in medicine and nursing. It was one of the first hospitals of its kind in America. Mary Eliza Mahoney graduated from its nursing program in 1879 as the first Black American nurse. After 1950 the teaching hospital became a health center, and the Dimock Community Health Center was established in 1971. The site is also considered archaeologically sensitive.
Significance in brief: The complex is significant for its role in the history of women in medicine, as one of the first hospitals in America founded by and for women, serving as both a teaching and a practicing hospital. It is also significant for its architecture, which ranges from Stick Style and High Victorian Gothic to Georgian and Classical Revival. The form states it meets criteria A and C at the state and local levels.
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 85000317, listed February 21, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 41 and 55 Dimock St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | February 21, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000317 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Cummings and Sears; W.T. Sears; John A. Fox; Kendall, Taylor and Company |
| Architectural style | Stick Style, High Victorian Gothic, Georgian Revival and Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History, Health/Medicine, Education |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated July 17, 1991 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a community health center and social service programs; condition rated good to fair, with minor reversible alterations. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 42.31916, -71.09754 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 85000317.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715450
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.