National Register of Historic Places

Cypress-Emerson Historic District

Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Listed
October 16, 1985
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
85003257

About this property

The Cypress–Emerson Historic District encompasses a residential area on the west side of Brookline Village in Brookline, Massachusetts, United States. Centered on Waverly and Cypress Streets, and including Emerson Park, this area was developed in the post-Civil War era, its growth matching that of the commercial areas of the village. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Brookline Village, originally known as "Muddy River" in colonial days, developed in the mid-19th century into the town's main commercial center. The area on the east side of Harvard Street commercial district was developed beginning in the 1840s by Thomas Aspinwall Davis, but the area to the west remained mainly farmland until after the Civil War. Cypress Street, an early road dating to the early 18th century, was widened in 1856, and the stretch between Davis Avenue and Washington Street was lined with houses in the 1880s, seven built by a single developer and reflecting similar Queen Anne and Second Empire styling. Waverly Street and Emerston Street were also developed in the 1870s and 1880s, on land belonging to Moses Jones and Elijah Emerson. Houses belonging to the Emerson family house original stood on the land that is now Emerson Park; they were moved to 72 Davis Avenue and 74 White Place after his heirs sold the town the land for the park. The historic district consists of a section of Cypress Street roughly between Davis Avenue and Waverly Street, and a section of Waverly Street between Cypress and Davis, including Emerson Street and the Emerson Gardens park. Notable residences in the district include 109-111 Davis Avenue, which was the home of Charles Hercules Rutan, one of the principals of Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge; Rutan designed this house as well as two others on nearby Elm Street. The oldest house in the district, which predates its subdivision, is the 1827 Greek Revival house at 60 Waverly Street. National Register of Historic Places listings in Brookline, Massachusetts

Location

Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
42.34219, -71.12449

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTARCHITECTURE
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.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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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
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Arcade Building
Civil War
0.1 mi
Town Stable
Industrial
0.1 mi
Devotion, Edward, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Beacon Street Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
St. Mark's Methodist Church
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Boston – Roxbury Lines
1775Revolutionary War
1.4 mi
Siege of Boston – Cambridge Lines
1775Revolutionary War
2.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cypress-Emerson Historic District listed on the National Register?

Cypress-Emerson Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 16, 1985.

What type of historic resource is Cypress-Emerson Historic District?

Cypress-Emerson Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cypress-Emerson Historic District?

The period of significance for Cypress-Emerson Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Cypress-Emerson Historic District?

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