Crafts Street City Stable
Also known as: Crafts Street Garage
Why it's listed
Built in 1895 at 90 Crafts Street, this brick Colonial Revival stable served Newton's Highway Department, whose horses plowed, graded and hauled for a rapidly growing city. Architect William F. Goodwin modeled it on the city's earlier Auburndale Avenue stable, which has since been demolished. The building has an L-shaped plan, a slate hip roof, hip-roofed dormers, an oval window, a copper cupola and corbelled brick cornices. Originally it held 30 horse stalls, carriage rooms, a machine shop, an office and a hay and grain loft, with fireproof sliding doors and chutes for feed and manure. The city removed the stalls in 1946 and converted the space to a garage and offices, changing many first-floor openings, though the loft remains largely intact. It is the only surviving nineteenth-century city stable in Newton and still serves the Department of Public Works. Its listing recognizes both its architecture and its role in the city's municipal growth between 1895 and 1940.
Significance in brief: It is the only surviving 19th-century city stable in Newton and reflects the city's late 19th-century growth and the civic pride put into municipal buildings. It retains many Colonial Revival features such as the slate hip roof, dormers, oval window and copper cupola. It is significant locally under Criteria A and C for architecture and community planning and development.
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 09001095, listed December 18, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 90 Crafts St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | December 18, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09001095 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1895-1940 |
| Architect / builder | William E. Goodwin |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revival: Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in municipal use by the Newton Department of Public Works as a garage and offices; the horse stalls were removed in 1946 and the interior was largely altered except for the loft. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.35543, -71.20306 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 09001095.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5180563
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.