St. Stephen's Church
Also known as: New North Church
Why it's listed
St. Stephen's Church is a brick meeting house on Hanover Street in Boston's North End, designed in 1804 by Charles Bulfinch for the New North Congregational Society. It is the only Bulfinch-designed church still standing in the city and his third in Boston. Its projecting three-bay tower, Palladian window, brownstone Ionic pilasters and open wooden belfry show his restrained neo-classical manner. The building is the third on its site and reused some timber from the 1730 structure. Congregational, then Unitarian, then Catholic congregations used it, and it was sold to the Archdiocese of Boston in 1862, mirroring the neighborhood's shift from Irish to Italian residents. It was moved back about 16 feet in 1870 when Hanover Street was widened, damaged by fires in 1897 and 1929, and restored in 1964-65. In 1926 the church became one end of the Paul Revere Mall, linking it visually with Christ Church.
Significance in brief: It is Boston's only remaining church designed by Charles Bulfinch and was his third church commission in the city, showing a high point of his personal Federal style. Its changes from Congregational to Unitarian to Catholic use reflect the shifting religious and ethnic character of the North End. It also became the terminus of the Paul Revere Mall, created in 1926 as an urban design scheme.
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 75000300, listed April 14, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Hanover St. between Clark and Harris Sts., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | April 14, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000300 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Charles Bulfinch |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1964-65 after fires in 1897 and 1929; in religious use as a church and listed in excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.36573, -71.05230 (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 75000300.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2323323
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.