BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
AUG 0 4 1989 FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 Photo (3"x3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. Staple to left side of form. Sketch Map: Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection (s). Indicate north See Attached Assessor's Map 1282 AREA Davis Square Area FORM NO. 162 Town Somerville MRA Address 25 Russell Street Historic Name Philemon Russell House Use: Present residence Original farmhouse DESCRIPTION Date ca.
1850 Source map research Style Greek Revival Architect none Exterior Wall Fabricclapboard Outbuildings none Major Alterations (with dates)none condition good possibility Moved -realignment Date unknown Acreage on original site less than one acre Setting The house is located in an urban residential neichborhood close to the Somerville/Canbridce border. Z E N UIM REFERENCE 19 - 325/240 - 4695/340 USGS QUADRANGLE Boston North SCALE 1:25,000 Recorded by Betsy Friedbera, Preservation Planner Organization Mass. Historical Conmission Date May 1936 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Philemon Russel1 House retains integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. One of the best-preserved Greek Revival-style residences in Somerville, and formerly a farmhouse, the house fulfills Criterion C of the National Register of Historic Places level.
on the local ARCHITECIURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. This appears to be one of the earliest homes between North Street (now Massachusetts Avenue) and Davis Square. The Russel1 House is significant as one of the only well-preserved examples of a three-bay, 2 1/2-story Greek Revival sidehall farmhouse in Somerville. Russell House is sited with its enclosed gable end to the street. Notable features include the 6/6 divided moveable sash throughout, the entrance offset to the right and framed by transom and sidelights, and the full-width one-story Doric porch. Wide corner pilasters support two wide, overlapped boards representing the frieze and architrave of a Classical entablature. The structure has a slate roof, and a two-story rear ell.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. The Russells owned this land in 1838, in pre-Revolutionary times. This area was known as "Watson's Plain" Philemon Russell was a farmer and nurservman who subdivided his 50 acres of land in 1845. The subdivision included Orchard, Russell, and Cottage Place, and straddled North Cambridge and Somerville. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Draper, Martin. Map of Somerville, 1852 Hopkins, G. M. Atlas of the City of Somerville, 1874 Cambridge HistoricaT Commission. Northwest Cambridge: Survey of Architectural History in Cambridge, 1977, p. 40. SOMERVILLE CAMBRIDGE 6Z 44.42 3998 90% 38PL.5 86.82 8: MILTON ST. 50,70 39 53. 292 06.12 27680. OL 45 355 90 265 121.3 -- 90 185 15.97 ORCHARD ST.
8650 OL 3092d 86.50 PLIZAI3 56940 103.60 50 0070 26.50 1695 4000 40 57 RUSSELL ST. Russell House . 25 Russell st. Somaville (MRA), Nass. =-- 25.56 124 8308D 112 PT.41845 5210 41800 114 93.00 40924 3) [91830) 93 51150 19 13 17 12.90 532 021 124 24800 Op-s 80. PL8o -80 Olaa COTTAGE GIR 1%2 33350 PT.30 132 14840 62 78.15 89.0 BOWERS AVE. 89.0 48950- 9.0 109- 108 10 109 i42o 199 LO 355173 62 60 RUSSELL' ST. NPS Form 10-000e (8-88) United States Department of theInterior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 AUG 4 1989 Section number. Page Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Somerville MPS Middlesex County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 61. Old Cemetery Date/Signature Enteredin the Hational Register pxaopor AulausByun 9/18/69 Attest 62.
Otis--Wyman House ntered in the Natlonal Register fokespor sulruByan 2/16/41 Attest 63. Parker--Burnett House Entered in the National Register txoper Aulmnbyen /1/9 Attest 54. Prescott, Gustavus G- tered 1n +hr Matiorad Renistor TkeeporAulumByen 4/0/64 Attest 65. Russell, Philemon, House Entered in the National Register Ixospor AulruBzan 2/1/59 Attest 66. Russell, Susan, House Eutered 1a the Natlopad Register Ineepor LubueBgu 2/0159 Attest 67. Schuebeler, Charles, House Entered in the National Register Ikcoper duloeBze 2/13/89 Attest 68. Snow,Lemuel, Jr., Housetared In the National degister HteepereloeByu 914/9 Attest 69. Somerville High School ratered in tha National Register KheopedelnuByun 2/0/51 Attest 70.
Somerville Journal Building Fntored 113e KeepeAelon Jyue 2/15/89 Vational Rortater Attest UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Russell, Philemon, House NAME : MULTIPLE Somerville MPS NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Middlesex DATE RECEIVED: DATE OF 16TH DAY: DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: 8/04/89 8/31/89 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 8/15/89 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 9/18/89 REFERENCE NUMBER: 89001282 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: OTHER: N PDIL: N PERIOD: N PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N N N COMMENT WAIVER: N ACCEPT RETURN REJECT 9/18/89 DATE Entered in the National Register ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: RECOM./CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N CLASSIFICATION count resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION FUNCTION historic current DESCRIPTION architectural classification materials descriptive text SIGNIFICANCE Period Areas of Significance--Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage UTMS verbal boundary description boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps OTHER COMMENTS _USGS maps _photographs presentation Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date 25 Russell 125 Russell Street 2, Somerville, MA 3.
C. Zellie 3. 4.1983 5. Someruille cit Hall 6. looking eas 7.#,62 Russell Phileman Heuse Smente MRA, Ma Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64500253