Greenwood Memorial United Methodist Church
Also known as: Highland Memorial Episcopal Church; Greenwood Memorial Church
Why it's listed
Greenwood Memorial United Methodist Church is a wooden, shingle-clad church at the corner of Washington and Dakota Streets in Dorchester, Boston. Built in 1900-1901 for a newly formed congregation, it was designed by Boston architect Walter J. Paine and built by John A. Dodge. Paine's first plan, a more elaborate stone building, was set aside for a more modest design. The church has a Weymouth granite foundation, an asymmetrical corner bell tower with a flared pyramidal roof, an octagonal corner bay, lancet-arched openings with tracery, and a large leaded glass window in the front gable. Inside, an open sanctuary has an exposed arched truss system, dark-stained woodwork, original pews and a Hook & Hastings organ installed in 1901. A Shingle-style parsonage built in 1900 by congregation members John and William Kellar stands beside it. The church reflects Dorchester's growth as a streetcar suburb and is valued for its architecture and its religious and social role.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is a well-preserved example of the Shingle style, applied to a gable-fronted, corner-tower church form. It is also tied to Dorchester's streetcar-suburb growth around 1900, when a new congregation formed and built here. It is marked for architecture, religion and social history.
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 02000154, listed March 8, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 378A-380 Washington St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | March 8, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000154 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1951 |
| Architect / builder | Walter J. Paine (architect); John A. Dodge (builder); parsonage by John and William Kellar |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Shingle style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a religious facility; the form notes alterations such as a 1999 concrete access ramp, a glazed enclosure on the choir loft, and non-original lighting and carpet. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.29694, -71.07142 (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 02000154.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5605045
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.