Jennison, Joshua, House
Why it's listed
This house at 11 Thornton Street in Newton Corner dates to about the 1840s and follows the Greek Revival style. Its narrow gabled end faces the street, with a pedimented front gable, a flush-boarded facade, Doric corner pilasters and a fully articulated entablature. The entrance sits to the right with sidelights, and a two-sided veranda on fluted Doric columns wraps the facade and south side. The form borrows from the Greek temple, and the side-hall plan that resulted stayed popular through the rest of the nineteenth century. In 1855 the property was owned by Joshua Jenison (or Jennison), a soap manufacturer whose factory stood at School and Pearl Streets nearby. His family had come to the city in 1795, and he was an original member of the Eliot Church. The house is described as a modest but exceptionally well-preserved local example of a type once common in Newton. Later 19th-century ells were added, and the house remains a dwelling in very good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an exceptionally well-preserved, modest local interpretation of the Greek Revival style, meeting Criterion C. It also remains a good example of a house type once common in Newton, and it was owned by Joshua Jenison, a soap manufacturer.
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 86001844, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 11 Thornton St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001844 |
| 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 described as very good, with ells added during the 19th century and a garage on the lot. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.35788, -71.18937 (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 86001844.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6289950
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.