Hobbs, Isaac, House
Why it's listed
Located at the corner of North Avenue and Church Street in Weston's Kendal Green area, this 2½-story clapboard house grew in stages from a colonial dwelling. A small north ell may date to about 1729, the main block to about 1758, and a large addition to the south was built by 1761, giving it the name "double house." In 1889 General J.F.B. Marshall enlarged the west side, adding a transverse gable, classical portico, south wing and terrace. For nearly two centuries the house was home to the Hobbs family, who operated a tannery on Hobbs Brook until 1860 and ran a home-based shoe and leather-goods business that helped build Weston's industry. Family members served as church deacons, town officers, legislators and soldiers, and some took part in the Boston Tea Party. Marshall, a Civil War paymaster general for Massachusetts, co-founded Hampton Institute in Virginia. The property is a visual landmark and may hold archaeological evidence of early domestic life and tanning.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant as the home of the locally prominent Hobbs family, who ran a tannery and home-based shoe and leather-goods business that shaped Weston's industrial base. Family members and later owner General J.F.B. Marshall played roles in local, state and national events. It also shows the evolution from an early Georgian house to a Victorian remodeling and may hold archaeological remains.
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 82002747, listed June 1, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 87 North Ave., Weston |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | June 1, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002747 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | 1889 Gen. J.F.B. Marshall (alterations); 1758 Isaac Hobbs (addition) |
| Architectural style | Georgian with Victorian remodeling |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied private residence in excellent condition, altered, on its original site. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Within district | Kendal Green Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.38004, -71.28124 (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 82002747.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6076501
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.