Fenno, John A., House
Why it's listed
Built about 1854, this clapboard house at 171 Lowell Avenue in Newtonville is considered the neighborhood's best example of Gothic Revival design. Two steep gable roofs meet to form an L-plan, and tall, narrow bracketed windows and diamond windows beneath each gable apex stress the vertical lines. Pairs of 6/6 sash windows on the second story carry earred label mouldings. A porch with columns on a shingled kneewall was added to the south side in the late 19th century. The house first stood at Walnut Street and Madison Avenue. Its original owner, John A. Fenno (1849-1929), later served as Newton's ninth mayor in 1893-94 and worked as treasurer and superintendent of the Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad. About 1885 he sold it to George A. Strout, who moved it to its current location. It is listed for its rare, well-preserved Gothic Revival architecture and remains a residence in good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a rare and well-preserved example of Gothic Revival architecture in Newton and Newtonville's best example of the style. It is also tied to John A. Fenno, the ninth mayor of Newton, who was its original owner.
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 86001800, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 171 Lowell Ave., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001800 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and in use as a residence; it was moved around 1885 and has a late 19th-century entrance porch. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.35134, -71.21100 (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 86001800.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6217656
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.