House at 307 Lexington Street
Why it's listed
Built around 1860, this small Greek Revival cottage at 307 Lexington Street in Auburndale, Newton, is a one-and-a-half-story house on a sidehall plan. Its gable end faces the street in an attempt to reproduce the outline of a Greek temple front. A deep overhang is carried by a one-story, full-width portico, and the pedimented roof rests on a classical entablature supported by fluted Doric columns. Clapboard covers the walls, and the house has seen no major alterations. It remains in very good condition as a dwelling. An earlier example of the form stands at 83 High Street, dating to the 1830s. The first Newton Directory, in 1868, lists James Dolliver as owner. The lot once ran west through to Freeman Street, and an 1874 atlas shows Dolliver dividing it into smaller parcels that were later built on. The house was recognized as an excellent, well-preserved small-scale interpretation of Greek Revival design.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it meets Criterion C as an excellent, well-preserved example of the Greek Revival style as miniaturized for smaller dwellings. Its gable end faces the street to recall the silhouette of a pedimented Greek temple. It also reflects the subdivision of a larger houselot by an early owner.
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 86001827, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 307 Lexington St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001827 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a dwelling; condition is very good, with no major alterations and no move. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.35155, -71.24646 (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 86001827.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914212
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.