Howes, C. G., Dry Cleaning-Carley Real Estate
Why it's listed
Built in 1928 at 1173 Washington Street in West Newton, this small commercial building was first home to a dry cleaning and fur storage business run by the C. G. Howes Company. Boston architect William Drummey designed it with a deliberately residential look to suit a neighborhood that was still mostly houses. The rectangular building is faced in buff brick and covered by a tile hip roof. A projecting center pavilion with a large clipped gable dominates the facade, and the entry has a Tudor arch with its original glazed and paneled door. Large display windows and round-arched windows flank the entrance. In 1937 Doris Carley, founder of Carley Realty and one of the city's first female brokers, took over the building, and it has remained a real estate office. It was recognized for its well-preserved design as a free-standing small commercial block and for its long link to real estate dealings in Newton. The nomination reports no major alterations and good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a well-preserved, small-scale commercial block built on a free-standing rather than connected plan. It also notes the building's association over fifty years with real estate dealings in Newton through Carley Realty. It is listed under criterion C.
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 90000031, listed February 16, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1173 Washington St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | February 16, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000031 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | William Drummey (Boston architect); built by the C. G. Howes Company |
| Architectural style | Eclectic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition good; no major alterations; present use is a real estate office. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Webster Park Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.34925, -71.22125 (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 90000031.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5006464
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.