Gunderson, Jos., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1850 at 983 Centre Street in Newton Centre, this house was put up by Joseph Gunderson, a Boston cashier active in the Baptist Church. It is regarded as one of the first suburban dwellings in the area, constructed as the railroad link from Brookline to the south side of Newton was completed. The land had been part of the Rev. Jonathan Homer farm, along a road once used to drive cattle toward Brighton markets. Architecturally, the house shows a rare broad-pilastered variation of the Greek Revival style influenced by English Regency design. Recessed panels alternate with projecting wall sections that read as very wide pilasters without capitals. Cast iron balconies suit the Regency manner, and an entrance porch was added to the original cube-like mass. Few examples were built outside Boston. Another Newton example stands at 488 Centre Street. The house remains a dwelling in excellent condition.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a rare example of the broad-pilastered, Regency-inspired variation of the Greek Revival style, which was seldom built outside Boston. It is also described as one of the first suburban dwellings in Newton Centre, built when the railroad connection from Brookline to south Newton was completed.
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 86001808, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 983 Centre St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001808 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Jos. Gunderson (builder/owner); architect not stated |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Regency |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent; in use as a dwelling, as it was originally. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.33843, -71.19356 (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 86001808.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6279090
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.