National Register of Historic Places

Kensington Park Historic District

Arlington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
September 26, 1985
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
85002679

About this property

The Kensington Park Historic District of Arlington, Massachusetts encompasses a turn of the 20th century planned residential subdivision in the hills above the town center, representing an early phase in the town's transition from a rural to suburban setting. The district consists of most of the houses on Brantwood and Kensington Roads, which wind around a rocky hillside overlooking Pleasant Street and Spy Pond, just west of the center. A number of the houses are the work of architect C. Herbert McClare, who also lived in the area, and was one of the development's proponents. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The Kensington Park subdivision was laid out in 1890 on land belonging to a number prominent local families. A syndicate of Boston and Cambridge businessmen funded the development, which was marketed as providing fresh air, and a number of modern amenities such as piped water and paved roads. The houses they built were large and predominantly Colonial Revival in styling, although other popular styles of the period, including Shingle, Craftsman, and Queen Anne, are represented in the surviving houses. McClare's own house at 9 Brantwood Road, built c. 1898, is a fine Queen Anne/Shingle style house with views of the Boston skyline. The Carroll House (101 Brantwood) is the neighborhood's finest example of the Bungalow style; it was built in 1900, and features the low-slung roofline typical of the style, with rustic fieldstone porch piers.

Location

Arlington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.38287, -72.26646

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
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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
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Rivers & Rail
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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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Points of Interest
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Nearby Historic Sites

Dana Common Historic and Archaeological District
Early Republic
3.4 mi
Hardwick Village Historic District
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4.2 mi
Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge
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5.7 mi
Gilbertville Historic District
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5.9 mi
Gay Farm
Industrial
7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Kensington Park Historic District listed on the National Register?

Kensington Park Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 26, 1985.

What type of historic resource is Kensington Park Historic District?

Kensington Park Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Kensington Park Historic District?

The period of significance for Kensington Park Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Kensington Park Historic District?

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