National Register of Historic Places

Congregation Agudath Shalom

Chelsea, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Listed
April 15, 1993
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
93000283

About this property

Congregation Agudath Shalom, also known as Agudas Sholom the Walnut Street Synagogue or the Walnut Street Shul, is a historic Open Orthodox Jewish synagogue at 145 Walnut Street in Chelsea, Massachusetts, United States. The congregation was founded in 1887. The present building was erected in 1909, one year after the great fire that destroyed a third of the buildings in the city. The architect was Harry Dustin Joll. The congregation's previous building was destroyed in the great fire. It is the oldest surviving synagogue in Chelsea, a city that was one-third Jewish at the time the synagogue was built. The synagogue possesses a "remarkable" series of wall and ceiling frescoes painted by Jewish immigrant artists. The "magnificent" carved Torah Ark was created by a noted Boston-area cabinetmaker who specialized in synagogue furniture, San Katz, in the 1920s. The synagogue was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. In 2016, Congregation Agudath Shalom hired Rabbi Lila Kagedan as its full-time spiritual leader. Kagedan is the first graduate of Yeshivat Maharat to take the title of Rabbi for her work as a female Orthodox leader. Kagedan is the first female rabbi of a U.S. Orthodox Jewish synagogue. National Register of Historic Places listings in Suffolk County, Massachusetts

Location

145 Walnut St.
Chelsea, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
42.39301, -71.03764

Categories

EUROPEANARCHITECTURERELIGION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Congregation Agudath Shalom

This page lists Congregation Agudath Shalom. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Congregation Agudath Shalom report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Bellingham Square Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Downtown Chelsea Residential Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi
Chelsea Garden Cemetery
Early Republic
0.3 mi
Chelsea Square Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi
Bellingham-Cary House
Industrial
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Chelsea Creek (1775)
1775Revolutionary War
0.4 mi
Battle of Chelsea Creek
1775Revolutionary War
0.5 mi
Battle of Breed's Hill
1775Revolutionary War
1.6 mi
Battle of Bunker Hill – Rail Fence Line
1775Revolutionary War
1.6 mi
Bunker Hill — Prescott's Redoubt
1775Revolutionary War
1.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Congregation Agudath Shalom listed on the National Register?

Congregation Agudath Shalom was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 1993.

What type of historic resource is Congregation Agudath Shalom?

Congregation Agudath Shalom is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Congregation Agudath Shalom?

The period of significance for Congregation Agudath Shalom is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Congregation Agudath Shalom?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Congregation Agudath Shalom will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Suffolk County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Suffolk County.

Explore SuffolkCounty ›

More historic places in Massachusetts

Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.

View Massachusettshistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Massachusetts history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Massachusettshistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Congregation Agudath Shalom will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report