Quarried locally, Roxbury puddingstone was used for all types of projects, from small cottages to large churches. The double house at 1472–1474 Tremont (c. 1856) and the block of houses at 682–688 Parker Street (c. 1853–1863) represent vernacular examples of housing built with this important Boston-area material. Mission Hill had its own quarries, and presumably this source was used for the construction of both housing blocks. The row houses on Parker Avenue, one story high with a mansard roof, probably provided accommodations for workers at the various industrial sites in the vicinity. Based on available documentation, the double house, two stories with mansard, was occupied by skilled mechanics, such as Nathan Cobb, a pattern maker, and David Connery Jr., a mason. These structures have no architectural ornamentation, which is in keeping with their original use as housing for people of modest means.