House at 215 Brookline Street
Why it's listed
This clapboard farmhouse at 215 Brookline Street in Newton's Oak Hill area is dated to 1693, the year Thomas Hastings married Sarah Tarbell and probably built it. The five-bay, two-story dwelling sits under a low-pitched gable roof, with a saltbox extension at the rear. It faces north, an uncommon orientation. The door surround is simple but refined, with delicate pilasters showing entasis supporting a low entablature and frieze, and paired 12/12 windows on the second floor are framed into the cornice. The house is valued as a good example of highly developed vernacular Georgian building. Hastings, born in 1671 and originally from Watertown, served as surveyor of highways and hogreeve and signed a 1713 petition for a more accessible meeting house. His sons sold the farm in 1760 to housewright Samuel Richardson. John Schworer, a farmer, bought the property in 1874 and stayed until 1949. The house is still a dwelling in very good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a good example of a highly developed vernacular Georgian farmhouse (Criterion C). It is also associated with Thomas Hastings (1671-1737), who was active in local affairs (Criterion B).
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 86001822, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 215 Brookline St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001822 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; probably built by Thomas Hastings |
| Architectural style | Georgian New England saltbox (vernacular Georgian farmhouse) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as very good; present use is a dwelling, with no major alterations and not moved. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.30172, -71.17772 (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 86001822.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914111
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.