New Boston Inn
Why it's listed
Standing at the crossing of the West Branch of the Farmington River in the village of New Boston, this inn grew in several phases from a mid-18th-century house built by Daniel Brown, who was recorded as an innholder by 1757. About 1790 his son Sanford added a 2-1/2 story Federal section with a central hall and a second-floor ballroom with a vaulted ceiling and sprung dance floor. A carriage shed ell and barn followed in the late 19th century under owner Charles H. Hunt. The inn served stage lines on the Tenth Massachusetts Turnpike, housed a post office from 1825 to 1839, and later welcomed automobile tourists drawn to the Berkshires in the 1920s. It is considered the best-preserved Federal period central-hall building in Sandisfield and has operated as an inn almost continuously for more than 230 years. These qualities led to its recognition for architecture and commerce.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the inn is the best-preserved central-hall Federal period building in Sandisfield and has operated as an inn nearly continuously for over 230 years. It is an unusually well-preserved rural hotel tied to the overland transport system of upland Massachusetts and to early 20th-century automobile tourism. It is listed under criteria A and C, in the areas of architecture and commerce.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88001459, listed September 1, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of MA 8 and MA 57, Sandisfield |
|---|---|
| County | Berkshire County |
| Listed | September 1, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001459 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1750 - 1938 |
| Architectural style | New England Colonial; Federal Adamesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Continues to operate as both a restaurant and an inn; the carriage shed ell was converted to guest rooms in 1985. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | New Boston Village Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.09403, -73.07729 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88001459.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7005618
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.