Salisbury, Jonas, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1847 at 85 Langley Road in Newton Centre, this 2½-story Greek Revival house was constructed by Henry Fuller of Newton for Jonas G. Salisbury, a yeoman with considerable real estate holdings. The surviving building contract set the price at $2,630 and called for plans drawn by Fuller. That document is the main reason the house matters, since few building records exist for Newton structures predating 1912. The clapboard house has a flanking-gable roof, panelled corner pilasters carrying a broad entablature, a full-width Doric porch, a transomed and sidelighted entrance, full-length first-story windows, and a wooden garland ornament in the gable. Fuller owned a builder's guide, Abraham Swan's The British Architect, which may have inspired the detailing. Salisbury sold the property in 1853 to a shopkeeper for $4,000. The house stands on Langley Road, a town way laid out in 1809 and renamed in 1895. It remains a dwelling in good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion C because the original 1847 building contract between Fuller and Salisbury survives. Few building records exist for Newton structures built before 1912, so the contract sheds light on mid-nineteenth-century building practices. The house is also described as an excellent example of Greek Revival architecture.
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 86001876, listed September 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 85 Langley Rd., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001876 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Henry Fuller of Newton |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and in use as a dwelling, with a rear ell added and the front porch and door surround possibly altered. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.32939, -71.19106 (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 86001876.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715647
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.