Hyde, Gershom, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1744 on Greenwood Street in Newton's Oak Hill area, this farmhouse is a two-and-a-half-story, gable-roofed Mid-Georgian dwelling with a two-room center-hall plan. A large chimney rises from the center of the ridge. The five-bay facade has paired outer windows, six-over-six sash, and upper windows set into the cornice. The house sits on a low granite foundation and has almost no ornament beyond narrow corner boards. A rear ell and an enclosed entrance porch were added later. It stands along a road laid out in 1711. Gershom Hyde (1719-1754) may have been the first occupant, and his nephew Thaddeus Hyde later appears as an owner. Thaddeus's heirs sold the house and 53 acres to Edward Wales in 1860, and members of the Wales family began a fruit preserving business in 1867. The house was listed because few Georgian farmhouses remain in Newton and it represents a locally common type.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of few remaining Georgian farmhouses in Newton and a representative example of a house type common locally from 1690 to 1780. It meets Criterion C for its architecture.
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 86001840, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 29 Greenwood St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001840 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Mid-Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as very good; it is in use as a dwelling, with an enclosed entrance porch and rear ell added later. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.31046, -71.18239 (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 86001840.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715490
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.