Headquarters House
Also known as: William Hickling Prescott House
Why it's listed
Number 55 Beacon Street in Boston is a four-story, bow-fronted brick row house built around 1806 in the Federal style. It forms the western half of a mirror-image pair facing Boston Common, and the design is credited to Asher Benjamin. A one-story porch with slender Doric columns follows the curve of the bow, and the exterior remains essentially unaltered. The house is best known as the home of William H. Prescott from 1844 until his death in 1859. Blinded in nearly both eyes by a college accident, Prescott wrote with a noctograph, a guided writing tablet, and produced histories of the conquests of Mexico and Peru that placed him among the country's leading historians. His restored third-floor study, with its shuttered bay window for controlling light, is a notable feature. In the twentieth century the house became headquarters of the Colonial Dames in Massachusetts, which keeps it in excellent condition and open to visitors.
Significance in brief: From 1844 until 1859 it was the principal home of historian William H. Prescott, who was nearly blind and wrote major histories using a noctograph. His Conquest of Mexico and Conquest of Peru rank him among America's leading historians. The house later became headquarters of the Colonial Dames in Massachusetts, and its exterior is essentially unaltered with Prescott's study restored.
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 66000765, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 55 Beacon St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000765 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1806; 1844-59 |
| Architect / builder | Asher Benjamin |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Literature |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated January 1, 1999 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, occupied and used as a museum and society headquarters, open to the public on Wednesdays afternoons and by appointment. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Beacon Hill Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.35668, -71.06822 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 66000765.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5689900
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.