Lewis, Charles D., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1905 at 81 Hunting Lane in Sherborn, this rambling shingled house was the centerpiece of Charles D. Lewis's "gentlemen's farm." Lewis was a businessman who lived in Framingham for much of the year and belonged to the family that owned Lewis Wharf in Boston. The land had belonged to the Perry family since 1679. The 2½-story house is roughly L-shaped, with a gable roof, pedimented dormers, porches, and a porte-cochere on Tuscan columns, topped by a Palladian window. Its informal massing and weathered shingles reflect the Shingle Style, while window surrounds and porches follow Colonial Revival formality. Lewis added formal gardens and raised cattle on former orchard land, and one stone garden wall survives on Hunting Lane. It is one of Sherborn's earliest country estates and stands apart from the southeast-Sherborn estates near the Charles River. The house keeps its original design, materials, and setting.
Significance in brief: The house is one of Sherborn's earliest country estates and is unusual for its north Sherborn location, since most early 20th century estates are in the southeast near the Charles River. It combines Shingle Style informality with Colonial Revival detailing. The estate keeps elements of its original landscaping and setting, and reflects the town's growth as a summer haven for a wealthy elite.
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 86000504, listed January 3, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 81 Hunting Ln., Sherborn |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | January 3, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000504 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival/Shingle Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a residence; the form reports no major alterations and a small garage as an outbuilding. |
| Acreage | 4.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.24955, -71.38272 (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 86000504.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q12061147
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.