House at 3 Davis Avenue
Why it's listed
Built around 1853 on a corner lot in West Newton, this clapboard house at 3 Davis Avenue is a small but richly detailed example of Italianate design. Its narrow, front-gabled main block is dominated by curvilinear brackets, which appear at the doorway, above the windows and along the cornice line. The trim is unusually ornate for a house of this size and includes corner blocks and long front parlor windows. The architect is unknown, and the house has had no major alterations, leaving it in good, well-preserved condition. Early ownership records list Mrs. J. Purdie in 1855. By 1874 the property belonged to Charles Burrill (1838-1916), a Boston-born insurance man associated with the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company. A very similar Italianate house was built nearby at 15 Davis Avenue shortly afterward. The house was listed for its architectural qualities as a well-preserved, elaborately detailed modest Italianate residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an elaborately detailed and well-preserved example of a modest Italianate residence. Curvilinear brackets at the doorway, windows and cornice, plus unusually ornate trim for a house of this size, are its dominant features. It was also owned by Charles Burrill, a Boston insurance man.
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 86001826, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3 Davis Ave., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001826 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; no major alterations, not moved, no outbuildings; present use is residence. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.35206, -71.22499 (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 86001826.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914302
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.