House at 729 Dedham Street
Why it's listed
Built around 1855 at the intersection of two major roads in Newton's Oak Hill area, this small cottage is described as the neighborhood's best remaining example of Greek Revival design in cottage form. It is five bays wide, with a gable roof resting on a delicately detailed two-part entablature. Corner pilasters with oversized capitals mark the facade, and the wide door surround with sidelights and six-over-six sash are typical of the style. A local carpenter built the house, and its condition is excellent. It was built for Calvin Rand, about whom little is known. By 1874 a local schoolmaster, H.E. Howard, lived there, and the Oak Hill school stood nearby at 742 Dedham Street. In the 1880s William Sanderson owned the property, adding a two-story rear ell in 1886 and operating it as a farmstead. The house has not been moved and remains a dwelling.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it Oak Hill's best remaining example of the Greek Revival style in cottage form. It is very well preserved and has typical Greek Revival details. It also reflects local history through its occupants, including a schoolmaster and a later farmstead 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 86001835, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 729 Dedham St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001835 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by a local carpenter |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as very good; present use is a dwelling, the same as its original use. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.30035, -71.18847 (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 86001835.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715595
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.