A Boston Landmark is a designation by the Boston Landmarks Commission for historic buildings and sites throughout the city of Boston based on the grounds that it has historical, social, cultural, architectural or aesthetic significance to New England or the United States. While National Landmark or National Register status can provide tax incentives for the owner of an income-producing property, local landmark status provides more control over modifications to a designated historic structure or place.
Criteria
For a group to start a designation procedure, they first meet with Boston Landmarks Commission staff to discuss the petition process. Once a complete petition is submitted, a preliminary hearing is scheduled to determine if the Commission will accept the petition for further study. If the Commission accepts the petition, the building or site is added to the pending Landmarks list. Preparation of a study report on the proposed Landmark is the next step. A public hearing process follows to present the draft study report. A 2/3 majority vote of the Commission is necessary for a property to be designated as a Boston Landmark. The decision must then be confirmed by the Mayor of Boston and by the Boston City Council. The Boston Landmarks Commission determines if a property is eligible for landmark status based on whether it
- Is a site that represents some important aspect of cultural, political, economic, military, or social history
- Is a site that has a significant association with an outstanding historic person
- Is a notable work of an influential architect, landscape architect, designer, or builder
- Represents elements of design with distinctive characteristics of a period, style or method of construction or development.
Once designated, any proposed alterations must be reviewed and approved by the Boston Landmarks Commission.
Recent designations
In 2016, a commissioner submitted a petition to the Boston Landmarks Commission to designate the Citgo sign above Kenmore Square, when its support building at 660 Beacon Street was in the process of being sold by Boston University. The petition was accepted and the sign is a pending Landmark, with research for the study report underway.
Since two unrelated designations in 2016, as of July 2018 no pending landmarks have been approved. A number of sites have remained pending since the 1980s.
Demolished Boston Landmarks
The 1840 Roswell Gleason house in Dorchester was granted landmark status in 1977. It was destroyed by fire in 1982.
List of designated Boston Landmarks
Boston Landmarks | Location | Date Designated | Image | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
20–30 Bromfield Street | 20–30 Bromfield Street | 1983 | ||
39 & 41 Princeton Street (Stephen Huse Whidden House & Joseph Henry Stephenson House) Architectural Conservation District | East Boston | 1991 | ||
5–7 Broad Street | 5–7 Broad Street | 1983 | ||
Aberdeen Architectural Conservation District | Brighton | 2001 | ||
Adams-Nervine Asylum | 990–1020 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain | 1977 | ||
Alvah Kittredge House | 10 Linwood Street, Roxbury | 2016 | ||
Arlington Street Church | 355 Boylston Street, Back Bay | 1978 | ||
Armory of the First Corps of Cadets | 97–105 Arlington Street | 1977 | ||
Austin Block | 90–92 Main Street, Charlestown | 1981 | ||
Back Bay Fens | The Fenway | 1983 | ||
Batterymarch Building | 54 Battermarch Street, Jamaica Plain | 1995 | ||
Bay State Road / Back Bay West Architectural Conservation District | Bay State Road | 1979 | ||
Bay Village Architectural Conservation District | Bay Village | 1983 | ||
Blackstone Block Street Network | Blackstone Block | 1983 | ||
Boston Common | Beacon Street | 1977 | ||
Boston Young Men's Christian Union Building | 48 Boylston Street, Theater District | 1977 | ||
Boylston Building | 2 Boylston Street, Theater District | 1977 | ||
Brook Farm | 670 Baker Street, West Roxbury | 1977 | ||
Burrage House | 137 Beacon Street, Back Bay | 1992 | ||
Charles River Esplanade | Beacon Hill / Back Bay | 2009 | ||
Charles River Speedway Administration Building | 1420–1440 Soldiers Field Road, Brighton | 2013 | ||
Charlestown Savings Bank Building | 1–4 Thompson Square, Charlestown | 1981 | ||
Christian Science Center Complex | Fenway | 2011 | ||
Church Green Buildings | 101–103,105–113 Summer Street | 1979 | ||
Commonwealth Avenue Mall | Back Bay | 1977 | ||
Cox Building | 1–7 Dudley Street, Roxbury | 1980 | ||
Donald McKay House | 80 White Street, East Boston | 1977 | ||
Dorchester North Burying Ground | Columbia Road, Dorchester | 1981 | ||
Dorchester Pottery Works | 101–105 Victory Road, Dorchester | 1980 | ||
Ebenezer Hancock House | Marshall Street | 1978 | ||
Edward Everett House | 16 Harvard Street, Charlestown | 1996 | ||
Elizabeth Peabody Bookstore and Circulating Library | 13–15 West Street | 2011 | ||
Eustis Street Architectural Conservation District | Roxbury | 1981 | ||
Exchange Building | 53 State Street | 1980 | ||
Faneuil Hall | 1–10 Faneuil Hall Square | 1994 | ||
Federal Reserve Bank | 30 Pearl Street | 1978 | ||
Fort Point Channel Landmark District | South Boston | 2008 | ||
Fowler-Clark Farm | 487 Norfolk Street, Mattapan | 2006 | ||
Franklin Park | Roxbury | 1980 | ||
George Milliken House | 44 Virginia Street, Dorchester | 2007 | ||
Gibson House (Interior) | 187 Beacon Street, Back Bay | 1992 | ||
Harrison Loring House | 789 East Broadway, South Boston | 1984 | ||
Hayden Building | 681 Washington Street, Theater District | 1977 | ||
International Trust Company Building | 45 Milk Street | 1978 | ||
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum | 280 The Fenway | 2013 | ||
Jacob Wirth Buildings | 31–39 Stuart Street, Theater District | 1977 | ||
James Blake House | 210 East Cottage Street, Dorchester | 1978 | ||
James Michael Curley House | 350 Jamaicaway, Jamaica Plain | 1989 | ||
Lewis–Dawson Farmhouse at the Arnold Arboretum | 1090 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain | 2007 | ||
Liberty Tree Building | 628–636 Washington Street, Theater District | 1985 | ||
Loring–Greenough House | 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain | 1999 | ||
Malcolm X – Ella Little-Collins House | 72 Dale Street, Roxbury | 1998 | ||
McCormack Post Office and Courthouse | 5 Post Office Square | 1998 | ||
Mission Church Complex | Mission Hill | 2004 | ||
Modern Theatre | 523–525 Washington Street | 2002 | ||
Oak Square School | 35 Nonantum Street, Brighton | 1979 | ||
Old State House | 208 Washington Street | 1994 | ||
Paramount Theater | 549–563 Washington Street, Theater District | 1984 | ||
Proctor Building | 100–106 Bedford Street | 1983 | ||
Public Garden | Beacon Street | 1977 | ||
Quincy Market | Faneuil Hall Market Place | 1996 | ||
South End Landmark District | South End | 1983 | ||
St. Botolph Street Architectural Conservation District | St. Botolph Street | 1981 | ||
St. Gabriel's Monastery Building | 159 Washington Street, Brighton | 1989 | ||
Theodore Parker Unitarian Church | 1851 Centre Street, West Roxbury | 1985 | ||
Trinity Neighborhood House | 406 Meridian Street, East Boston | 1981 | ||
Tugboat Luna | Charles River | 1985 | ||
United Shoe Machinery Corporation Building | 140 Federal Street | 1983 | ||
Vienna Brewery Complex | 133 Halleck & 37 Station, Roxbury | 1999 | ||
Wilbur Theatre | 250 Tremont Street, Theater District | 1987 | ||
William Monroe Trotter House | 97 Sawyer Avenue, Dorchester | 1977 |
References
- "Designating landmarks in Boston". 12 July 2016.
- "How to apply for Landmarks design review". 12 July 2016.
- "Panel drafting rules that could protect Boston's Citgo sign".
- Pending and Designated Landmarks as of July 2018, PDF file, Retrieved September 8, 2018
- Status of Petitions to the Boston Landmarks Commission for Designation as Landmarks and Districts (PDF) (Report). June 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
- "City of Boston" (PDF). City of Boston. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1983). "20–30 Bromfield Street Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1991). "39 & 41 Princeton Street Architectural Conservation District Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1983). "5–7 Broad Street Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (2002). "Aberdeen Architectural Conservation District Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "Adams-Nervine Asylum Study Report" (PDF).
- "Alvah Kittredge House Study Report" (PDF). 2016.
- Historic Boston (December 22, 2015). "Alvah Kittredge House Proposed For Boston Landmark Designation".
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1978). "Arlington Street Church Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "Armory of the First Corps Cadets Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1980). "The Austin Block Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1983). "Back Bay Fens Study Report" (PDF).
- Berg, Shary Page (n.d.). "Restoring Olmstead's Vision". Muddy River Restoration Project. Maintenance and Management Oversight Committee.
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1995). "Batterymarch Building Study Report" (PDF).
- Gehrman, Elizabeth (December 21, 2014). "When Boston first went big: Considering one of our original skyscrapers". The Boston Globe Magazine.
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1979). "Bay State Road/Back Bay West Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1983). "Bay Village Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1983). "Blackstone Block Street Network Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "Boston Common Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "Boston Young Men's Christian Union Building Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "The Boylston Building Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "Brook Farm Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (n.d.). "The Burrage House Study Report" (PDF).
- Larson, Todd (May 26, 2016). "In three Back Bay mansions, Gilded Age shines again". The Boston Globe.
- Boston Landmarks Commission (2009). "Charles River Esplande Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (2011). "Charles River Speedway Administration Building" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1978). "Charlestown Savings Bank Building" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (2011). "Christian Science Center Complex Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1979). "The Church Green Buildings Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1978). "Commonwealth Avenue Mall Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1979). "Cox Building Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "Donald McKay House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (n.d.). "Dorchester North Burying Ground Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1980). "Dorchester Pottery Works Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "Ebenezer Hancock House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1996). "Edward Everett House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (2011). "13–15 West Street Study Report" (PDF).
- Fox, Jeremy C. (September 15, 2011). "Commission appears poised to declare former Transcendentalist bookstore a landmark". Boston Globe.
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1981). "Eustis Street Area Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1979). "The Exchange Building Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1994). "Faneuil Hall Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1978). "Federal Reserve Bank Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (2008). "The Fort Point Channel Landmark District Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (2005). "Fowler-Clark Farm Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1980). "Franklin Park Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (n.d.). "George Milliken House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1992). "Gibson House (Interior) Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1981). "Harrison Loring House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "The Hayden Building Study Report" (PDF).
- "Mayor Menino Dedicates Historic Hayden Building". Boston Planning & Development Agency. May 1, 2013.
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1978). "International Trust Company Building Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (2011). "Isabella Stewart Garnder Museum Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "The Jacob Wirth Buildings Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1978). "The James Blake House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1988). "James Michael Curley House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (n.d.). "Lewis–Dawson Farmhouse at the Arnold Arboretum Study Report" (PDF).
- "Harvard University Statement on Jabez Lewis House". Arnold Arboretum. October 18, 2007.
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1985). "The Liberty Tree Building Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1999). "The Loring-Greenough House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1998). "The Malcolm X — Ella Little-Collins House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1997). "The John W. McCormack Post Office and Court House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (2004). "Mission Church Complex Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (2002). "Modern Theatre Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1979). "Oak Square School Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1994). "The Old State House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1983). "Paramount Theatre Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1983). "The Proctor Building Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "Public Garden Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1996). "Quincy Market Study Report" (PDF).
- Chesto, Jon (June 4, 2015). "Plan for Faneuil Hall makeover runs into resistance". The Boston Globe.
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1983). "The South End Study Report" (PDF).
- Turchi, Megan (March 5, 2015). "South End Landmark District Has Complicated Past". Boston Globe.
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1981). "Saint Botolph Area Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1988). "Saint Gabriel's Monastery Complex Study Report" (PDF).
- Logan, Tim (January 4, 2016). "Grad student housing proposed for Brighton property". The Boston Globe.
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1985). "Theodore Parker Unitarian Church Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1981). "Trinity Neighborhood House Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1985). "The Tugboat Luna Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1983). "United Shoe Machinery Corporation Building Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1998). "The Vienna Brewery Complex Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1983). "Wilbur Theatre Study Report" (PDF).
- Boston Landmarks Commission (1977). "The William Monroe Trotter House Study Report" (PDF).
- National Park Service. "William Monroe Trotter House". We Shall Overcome: Historic Places of the Civil Rights Movement.
External links
- City of Boston, Boston Landmarks Commission
- Boston Landmark Commission, Study reports for the designated landmarks
- Old State House Museum
- Modern Theatre Shows
- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum