Railroad Hotel
Also known as: Terminal Hotel
Why it's listed
Built in 1831 at the corner of Washington and Watertown streets, this three-story brick building is believed to be the oldest surviving commercial structure in West Newton. Seth Davis, a teacher, lecturer, author and real estate investor, put up the hotel using red hand-made brick, a major investment for a small village. It took the name Railroad Hotel when the Boston & Worcester Railroad reached West Newton in April 1834, and for a few months it served passengers connecting onward from the railhead. Railroad directors held a celebration there, and local Unitarians held their first public meetings in a hall in the building in the 1840s. In the 1860s it operated as the West-Newton Hotel, with a livery stable behind it, and it briefly served as a boarding house in the 1870s. Its louvered Gothic windows at the gable level are its best-known detail. The ground floor has been altered with storefronts, and the chimneys were removed, but much original character remains. It now houses shops and offices.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an unusual and well-preserved example of a brick hotel and believes it is West Newton's oldest remaining commercial structure. It is also tied to Seth Davis, a prominent local figure, and to the growth of West Newton, including the arrival of the Boston & Worcester Railroad in 1834.
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 86001868, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1273--1279 Washington St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001868 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by Seth Davis |
| Architectural style | Federal/Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated good; present use is shops and offices, with 20th-century storefronts at ground level. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | West Newton Village Center Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.34943, -71.22587 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 86001868.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7284055
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.