Old Shephard Farm
Why it's listed
This farmhouse at 1832 Washington Street in Auburndale, Newton, dates to about 1740 and was part of the Old Shephard Farm, which local tradition credits to Alexander Sheperd, Senior, a local citizen who fought at Lexington and Concord in 1775. It is a two-and-one-half-story, rectangular, clapboard house with a low-pitched gable roof and a five-bay facade typical of the mid-eighteenth century. The narrow center entrance has a flat entablature. A two-story wing was added to the south side, and the main roof was extended over it. A rear wing, thought to be the oldest section, was detached and moved in 1953, and the house itself was moved from 1828 Washington Street and turned a quarter turn. Sheperd sold the 60-acre farm to John Pigeon in 1770, and the Allen family later owned the house for over a century. It is listed as one of few surviving eighteenth-century structures tied to Auburndale's agricultural past.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion B for its association with Alexander Sheperd, a prominent early Auburndale resident who fought at Lexington and Concord. Under Criterion C, it is one of few surviving eighteenth-century structures in Auburndale that reflect the village's early agricultural economy.
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 86001859, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1832 Washington St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001859 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by Alexander Sheperd, Senior, according to local tradition |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as very good; present use is a dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.33635, -71.24070 (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 86001859.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7084965
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.