Trinity Neighborhood House
Why it's listed
Built around 1848 for Noah Sturtevant, a leading figure in East Boston's commercial and industrial growth, this red brick house at 406 Meridian Street sits on a hillside in the Eagle Hill section. It has a granite foundation, brownstone trim, a slate roof, semi-circular bays and six pedimented dormers. The design is mainly Greek Revival, with Egyptian Revival touches such as palm-leaf bands beneath the porch column capitals and battered granite fence posts. Inside, a spiral staircase and monumental door and window surrounds stand out. In 1917 the house became Trinity Neighborhood House, run by Trinity Church in Boston as a social service provider. Its earlier incarnation, founded in 1881, offered classes in cooking, sewing and housekeeping, a day nursery and other aid, following the settlement house movement. The house had stood empty for about 11 years at the time of nomination, with fire damage from 1985 and deteriorated interiors.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion A because Sturtevant, a leading figure in East Boston's commercial and industrial development, built it, and because from 1917 it served as a pioneering social service provider for Trinity Church in Boston. Under Criterion C, it is a notable example of Greek Revival domestic architecture with added Egyptian Revival detail.
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 92000356, listed April 14, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 406 Meridian St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | April 14, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000356 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1848-1941 |
| Architect / builder | Noah Sturtevant (builder/original owner); architect listed as N/A |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century: Greek Revival, with occasional Egyptian Revival references |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The building was unoccupied for about 11 years, with peeling paint, cracked plaster, boarded windows and fire damage from 1985. Current function is listed as vacant. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.37993, -71.06394 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 92000356.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715890
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.