National Register of Historic Places

Shirley Center Historic District

Shirley, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
August 31, 1988
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
88001454

About this property

The Shirley Center Historic District encompasses the original historic center of Shirley, Massachusetts. The district is centered on the 1753 town common area, from which five roads (Brown, Center, Horsepond, Parker and Whitney Roads) radiate away. The district includes the buildings that surround the common, as well as some that line these roads. The district includes Shirley's town hall and First Parish Congregational Church. The district features Greek Revival, Georgian, and Federal style architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Location

Shirley, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.57214, -71.65117

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTAGRICULTUREARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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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Everything a full report reveals about Shirley Center Historic District

This page lists Shirley Center Historic District. 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.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Parker, James, House
Industrial
0.9 mi
Shirley Village Historic District
Listed
2 mi
Groton Leatherboard Company
Listed
2.4 mi
Fort Devens Historic District
Early Republic
2.5 mi
Pleasant Street School
Industrial
3.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Shirley Center Historic District listed on the National Register?

Shirley Center Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 31, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Shirley Center Historic District?

Shirley Center Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Shirley Center Historic District?

The period of significance for Shirley Center Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Shirley Center Historic District?

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 Shirley Center Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Middlesex County

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Massachusetts history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

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