National Register of Historic Places

Salem-Auburn Streets Historic District

Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
April 12, 1982
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
82001975

About this property

The Salem–Auburn Streets Historic District is a residential historic district at Salem and Auburn Streets in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The district includes a collection of houses that is among the oldest in the Cambridgeport section of the city, and includes most of the houses on two blocks of these streets. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Salem and Auburn Streets are two short residential streets located near the center of Cambridge's Cambridgeport neighborhood, which is bounded by River Street, Massachusetts Avenue, the Charles River, and the Grand Junction Railroad tracks. Auburn Street runs northwest to southeast across the neighborhood, paralleling Massachusetts Avenue. On the block of Auburn between Pearl Street and Brookline Street, Salem Street is a one-block street extending southwest to Watson Street. The district includes most of the properties on these two blocks. At the beginning of the 19th century Cambridgeport was a relatively small village, with narrow streets. The area did not see significant organized development until the mid-19th century. The houses along Salem Street and this single block of Auburn Street were all built between about 1800 and 1845, before this later development took place, and are the largest cluster of houses from that period that survive. The ten historically significant houses are typically vernacular versions of Late Georgian, Federal period, and Greek Revival architecture. One of the more unusual rarities is a two-story brick Federal style house at 15 Salem Street. National Register of Historic Places listings in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Location

Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.36282, -71.10345

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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
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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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Urban Rowhouse
Industrial
0.1 mi
Urban Rowhouse
Industrial
0.1 mi
Ellis, Asa, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Valentine Soap Workers Cottage
Industrial
0.1 mi
Valentine Soap Workers Cottage
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Boston – Cambridge Lines
1775Revolutionary War
0.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Salem-Auburn Streets Historic District listed on the National Register?

Salem-Auburn Streets Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 12, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Salem-Auburn Streets Historic District?

Salem-Auburn Streets Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Salem-Auburn Streets Historic District?

The period of significance for Salem-Auburn Streets Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Salem-Auburn Streets Historic District?

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