Wirth, Jacob, Buildings
Why it's listed
Two attached brick rowhouses at 31-39 Stuart Street in Boston date to 1844-45 and were built in the Greek Revival style by developer housewrights active in the South Cove area. Each is three stories with an attic, bow-fronted window bays, slate roofs with two dormers per building, and one-story brick rear ells. A late 19th century storefront joins the pair. Jacob Wirth, originally a baker, bought numbers 37-39 in 1878 as his home above and restaurant below, then leased 31-33 in 1889 and built the unifying storefront. His heirs ran the restaurant until 1965, and it still serves German food, with exterior and interior little altered since the late 19th century. The houses are valued as rare survivors of the bow-fronted Greek Revival row house in the central city, a type that connects the earliest Beacon Hill bowfronts with the Italianate bowfronts of the South End. The buildings are also a designated Boston Landmark.
Significance in brief: The buildings are scarce survivors of the bow-fronted Greek Revival row house in an area where such houses were once common. They link the early Beacon Hill Federal bowfronts with the Italianate South End bowfronts of the 1850s and '60s. They also hold a long-running German restaurant whose facade and interior have changed little since the late 19th century.
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 80000442, listed December 9, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 31-39 Stuart St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | December 9, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000442 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Housewrights Greenleaf C. Sanborn, Thatcher Ross, and Thomas C. Wait |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Designated exterior and interior as a Boston Landmark; in continuing restaurant use. Condition marked fair. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.35111, -71.06397 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 80000442.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715624
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.