{"nrhp_refnum":"86001862","name":"Parsons, Edward, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"56 Cedar St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Newton","county":"Middlesex County","state":"MA","lat":42.33843187700006,"lon":-71.19841042399997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1986-09-04","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state","local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A single-family house at 56 Cedar Street in Newton Centre, Newton, Massachusetts, built in 1877 in the Stick Style. It was the original dwelling of Edward Parsons and is still used as a dwelling.","why_significant":"The house is a rare Newton example of the Stick Style as it was scaled down for small dwellings, which is the basis for Criterion C. Its jerkin head facade gable, patterned stickwork and bracing, and carved bargeboards with rosettes are characteristic of the style. Stick Style houses are uncommon around Newton Centre.","narrative":"Built in 1877 at 56 Cedar Street in Newton Centre, this small clapboard house is an unusual local example of the Stick Style. Stick Style houses are not common in the Newton Centre area, and this one shows how the style was miniaturized for modest dwellings. A jerkin head gable on the facade, with patterned stickwork and bracing, marks the style. Elaborate carved bargeboards trimmed with rosettes decorate both the cross-gable and the facade gable, and chamfered porch posts carry matching brackets and rosettes. Edward Parsons, listed in city directories as a gentleman, was the original owner. Cedar Street was probably laid out in the 1850s, though the city did not accept it until 1878. The house remains a dwelling in very good condition on a suburban residential lot of just under an acre, with a garage. Its rarity and distinctive detailing led to its listing for architectural significance.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Stick Style","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Present use is a dwelling; condition is described as very good, with a garage as an outbuilding.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:13:01.575249-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/86/7912/63791286/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/86001862.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86001862/feae0b96e6-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86001862/feae0b96e6-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"User:Magicpiano","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NewtonMA_EdwardParsonsHouse.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">User:Magicpiano</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NewtonMA_EdwardParsonsHouse.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63791286","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Parsons_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5344775"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/middlesex-county/parsons-edward-house-86001862/"}