Our Lady Help of Christians Historic District
Why it's listed
Our Lady Help of Christians is a cluster of red-brick Gothic Revival buildings on 6.6 landscaped acres in Nonantum, Newton, enclosed by a wrought-iron fence. The church, begun in 1873 and completed in 1875, was designed by Providence architect James Murphy, who was known for Catholic churches across New England. It has a tall central tower and spire. Around 1900 the church was remodeled, with transepts and a three-porch facade added to correct construction defects. A rectory of the late 1880s and a convent from 1890 to 1893 followed. The parish grew from Irish immigrants settling in the area and was led first by the Rev. Michael Green, then by the Rev. Michael Dolan, who built up its schools. The former boiler house held classrooms for the high school and is thought to be the first Catholic parish high school in Massachusetts. Newton Catholic High School, designed by Edward T.P. Graham, opened in 1924 and was later recognized as contributing to the district.
Significance in brief: The district is an important complex of red-brick Gothic architecture in Newton. Part of it was designed by the church architect James Murphy of Providence. It is also tied to the growth of the village of Nonantum and to the parish's early educational programs. The high school was first listed as non-contributing, and later documentation reclassified it as contributing.
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 86001758, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Adams and Washington Sts., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001758 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1875-1924 |
| Architect / builder | James Murphy (church); Edward T.P. Graham (Newton Catholic High School); J.W. Wentworth (brickwork contractor for the church) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (the convent is described as more closely based on Colonial Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | General condition is good. The church, school and convent are in use, and the former heating plant now houses a thrift and gift shop. The Adams Street school was demolished in 1962. |
| Acreage | 6.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.35520, -71.19740 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 86001758.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7110721
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.