Judkins, Amos, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1884 at 8 Central Avenue in Newtonville, this large Queen Anne house was erected for Amos C. Judkins (1838-1906), a Maine native who worked in the railroad car wheel business in Boston. The design is loosely based on the medieval manor houses of English architect Richard Norman Shaw. It has an irregular form, walls covered in clapboards and decorative shingles, recessed balconies, and asymmetrical projections ornamented with turned balusters, paneling, incised decoration and scrollwork. A gabled front porch, a porte-cochere, a glazed conservatory and tall clustered chimneys add to the effect. The house has survived virtually intact, with a carriage house still on the lot. In retirement Judkins and John H. Lothrop bought large tracts near Crafts and Watertown streets and subdivided them into house lots in the late 1880s and 1890s. Judkins Street is named for him. After his death in 1906 the house passed to his widow, Mary.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an exceptional local example of Queen Anne architecture that has survived virtually intact. It also ties the house to Amos Judkins, who with John H. Lothrop helped develop part of Newtonville by buying and subdividing land into house lots.
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 86001846, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 8 Central Ave., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001846 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded as in good condition, with no major alterations, and in use as a residence. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.35621, -71.20595 (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 86001846.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4747895
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.