Maynard, Charles, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1897 at 459 Crafts Street in Newton, this two-and-one-half story house combines Queen Anne and Colonial Revival features. It has a high fieldstone foundation, clapboard siding, an octagonal corner tower with a turret, projecting bays, pedimented dormers and a porch with Tuscan-like columns. The lot was carved from a farm once held by the family of its builder, Charles Johnson Maynard (1845-1929). Maynard was a self-taught ornithologist and taxidermist who ran a naturalist supply business in Boston, lectured on birds, taught bird classes to Newton residents, and wrote at least eleven books, including Birds of North America. He lived in the house until his death. Family members stayed until 1953, and in 1956 the building became a two-family home with only minor changes to its plan. Original interior details survive, including a decorative fireplace wall, arched parlor openings and the main staircase. Its architecture and its link to Maynard support its local significance.
Significance in brief: It is tied to Charles Johnson Maynard (1845-1929), a well-known taxidermist and ornithologist who built the house and lived there until his death. It also shows a high-quality combination of Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles and reflects late nineteenth-century suburban development in Newton. It retains its 1897 plan, form and style.
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 96000364, listed April 4, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 459 Crafts St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 4, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000364 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1897-1929 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne; Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals: Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted to a two-family dwelling in 1956 and still has two dwelling units; recently preserved with a new paint scheme and a stencilled replacement for deteriorated plaster trim on the turret. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.35881, -71.21114 (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 96000364.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5080754
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.