Framingham Reservoir No. 3 Dam and Gatehouse
Why it's listed
Framingham Reservoir No. 3 Dam and Gatehouse form the southeast end of the largest of three reservoirs built in Framingham for Boston's water supply. Constructed between 1875 and 1878, the gatehouse has a rectangular block and wing with steep hipped roofs, walls of dark gray granite, lighter granite trim, narrow vertical windows, a round-arched door and a brass cupola. Inside, a granite gate chamber holds gates that control flow into 48-inch mains. The dam has a granite rubble overflow about 100 feet long, set between two earthen embankments with granite rubble core walls. George A. Clough's office designed the gatehouse, and Benjamin F. Dewing built it. The reservoir served as a settling basin for Sudbury River water, part of the second phase of Boston's system. The structures are valued as examples of municipal water engineering and architecture. Industrial growth later made the water unsuitable, and the reservoir was taken out of service, though the dam and gatehouse remain intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the dam and gatehouse are significant for their association with the Sudbury supply, Boston's second metropolitan water system, and as examples of mid-to-late nineteenth-century municipal water technology and architecture. The gatehouse was designed by George Clough, Boston City Architect from 1873 to 1883. Both retain integrity.
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 89002261, listed January 18, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SE end of Framingham Reservoir No. 3, off MA 9/30, Framingham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | January 18, 1990 |
| Reference number | 89002261 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1876-1878 |
| Architect / builder | George A. Clough, Boston City Architect (gatehouse design); gatehouse built by Benjamin F. Dewing, Boston; dam above the foundation built by J.E. Fuller and Hash, Worcester |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Engineering, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good and structures intact, but the reservoirs have been removed from service because surrounding industrial development made the water unsuitable. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.29404, -71.45960 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 89002261.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8565312
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.