Clark House
Why it's listed
Built in 1895 at 379 Central Street in Auburndale, this suburban Newton house combines late Queen Anne and Shingle Style features. A dominant three-story conical corner tower, stained glass windows, panelled chimneys and a tri-partite gabled dormer with half-timbering reflect the Queen Anne tradition. The blocky form and wood shingle covering on the upper floors show Shingle Style influence, while fieldstone on the first story was a favored device of local Shingle Style architects. The house was constructed for Reverend Francis E. Clark, who was educated at Dartmouth and Andover Theological Seminary. Clark founded the Christian Endeavor Movement and edited its publication, The Golden Rule. The house was listed for this association and for its architecture, which the nomination ranks among the city's finest examples of the late Queen Anne style. The architect is unknown. A conservatory was removed and a porch enclosed in the twentieth century, but the house remains in very good condition and is still used as a dwelling.
Significance in brief: The nomination ties the house to Reverend Francis E. Clark, founder of the Christian Endeavor Movement and editor of its publication, The Golden Rule. It also calls the house one of Newton's finest examples of late Queen Anne style with Shingle Style influences.
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 86001785, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 379 Central St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001785 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Late Queen Anne/Shingle Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a dwelling; condition described as very good. A 20th-century conservatory was removed and a porch enclosed. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.34121, -71.25483 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 86001785.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7317675
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.