House at 115-117 Jewett Street
Why it's listed
Built in the 1860s in Newton Corner, this wood-frame house at 115-117 Jewett Street shows the Mansard style in an academic form. Its three-part facade has shallow, Mansard-roofed end pavilions flanking a recessed center bay, an arrangement favored in more refined versions of the style. Original details survive, including a modillion cornice, a transom over the double entrance doors, and scrolled Victorian-era dormers. A mansard-roofed carriage house with a cupola stands behind the main house. Mansard-roofed houses appeared across Newton but were most common in areas such as Newton Corner, which developed intensively after the Civil War. The house is representative of the country villas and suburban homes built by Boston commuters and the newly wealthy upper middle class. The lot was owned in 1855 by Darius Emerson, a dry goods merchant who held extensive rental property in the northern part of Newton Corner. It was recognized for its architectural quality as one of Newton's finest examples of the style. It remains a dwelling in good condition.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of Newton's finest examples of an academic version of the domestic Mansard style. It has a three-part facade with Mansard-roofed end pavilions and a recessed center bay, with well-preserved original detailing. It also represents the suburban villas built by Boston commuters and the newly-rich upper middle class.
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 86001816, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 115--117 Jewett St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001816 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Mansard |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; in present use as a dwelling, as it was originally. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.35720, -71.19178 (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 86001816.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5913884
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.