Union Oyster House
Also known as: Atwood & Bacon; Atwood
Why it's listed
Union Oyster House occupies a five-bay, three-and-a-half-story brick building with a gambrel roof at 41-43 Union Street in Boston. Built in 1716-17 as a dwelling in the Georgian style, it has an unusual angled front that follows the meeting of Marshall and Union Streets. The house later served as a dry goods store, and from 1826 it has operated as an oyster house and restaurant. Its first-floor interior, altered in the mid-nineteenth century, retains a semi-circular oyster bar with a soapstone shucking table and white-painted, stall-style booths, which are described as the only known survivors of their kind in the United States. Early framing, including exposed summer beams and joists, supports the early eighteenth-century date. Two neighboring buildings, one from 1851 and one from 1916, were joined to the restaurant in the late twentieth century, but only the original building is counted as significant. The property is also part of the Blackstone Block.
Significance in brief: The nomination points to the building's long use as an oyster house and its unusually intact first-floor interior. The soapstone-topped oyster bar and stall-type booths are described as the only known survivors in the United States. The original building is also a rare surviving example of Boston's Georgian architecture.
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 03000645, listed May 27, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 41-43 Union Street, Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | May 27, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000645 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Colonial: Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated May 27, 2003 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operating as a restaurant (commerce use from 1826 to present); the north and south additions were incorporated into the restaurant in the late twentieth century. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.36134, -71.05679 (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 03000645.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14450004
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.