House at 173-175 Ward Street
Why it's listed
Built around 1800 on Ward Street in Chestnut Hill, this clapboard house is one of the few early Federal period residences remaining in Newton. It has the five-bay facade typical of its era, narrow window openings, and a trabeated entrance framed by narrow moulding. Twin chimneys rise from the rear wall, and an elongated rear roof slope gives it a saltbox profile, though that slope may not be original. Charles Hyde built the house in 1800, when he married Sarah Jackson. It was later called the Hyde Place in property disputes tied to the construction of the Newton tunnel in the mid-nineteenth century. After changing hands many times, it was bought in 1852 by Michael Martin, whose family kept it into the early twentieth century. They built a newer house next door at 169-171 Ward Street by 1885 and rented the older house to local laborers. It remains a dwelling in very good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an important local example of an early Federal period residence, one of few in the city, and so meets Criterion C. It has the typical five-bay facade, a trabeated entrance with narrow moulding and twin rear wall chimneys. It was also built by Charles Hyde and later owned by the Martin family.
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 86001820, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 173--175 Ward St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001820 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Charles Hyde (builder, per the historical section); architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as very good; the present use is a dwelling. An ell was added on the north elevation. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.33887, -71.17998 (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 86001820.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5913994
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.