First Congregational Church of Hyde Park
Why it's listed
Built in 1910, this granite church at the corner of Webster and River Streets in Hyde Park, Boston, is a Neo-Gothic Revival building designed by the Boston firm Kilham and Hopkins. Its walls are Weymouth Seam granite, its steep gable roofs are slate, and a castellated bell tower rises at the northwest corner. A two-and-one-half-story education wing is attached. Stained glass windows by the Charles J. Connick Studio, on the theme of the evolution of Christianity, were added in 1917 and are now covered with protective acrylic panels. The congregation, organized in 1863, moved here from an earlier church on Fairmount Avenue. The building became a social center for families who had moved to the suburbs, hosting women's groups, the town's first Boy Scout troop and religious education schools. It is significant for its architecture and its role in the community, and it remains an active church today.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an excellent local example of Neo-Gothic Revival church architecture tied to the Boston firm Kilham and Hopkins and to stained glass by the Charles J. Connick Studio. It is also significant in social history as a community gathering place for Boston businessmen's families who moved to suburban Hyde Park, and it remains a landmark between the Cleary Square business district and nearby residences.
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 99001308, listed November 12, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6 Webster St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | November 12, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001308 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910-1949 |
| Architect / builder | Kilham & Hopkins Architects; stained glass by Charles J. Connick Studio |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival (Neo-Gothic Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still an active church and community center with about 110 members; the education wing is rented to the YMCA for after-school programs and a nursery. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.25750, -71.12043 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 99001308.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452850
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.