St. Mary's Church and Cemetery
Why it's listed
St. Mary's Church and Cemetery occupy a corner lot at Concord and Washington Streets in Newton Lower Falls. The clapboard church was built in 1813-1814 in the Federal style and extensively remodeled in 1838 with Gothic door and window trim, an extended east end and a rebuilt bell tower. The chancel and sacristy were enlarged in 1892, a parish hall was attached in 1941, and the bell tower was rebuilt in 1954 to approximate the original Federal design. It is the oldest surviving church building in Newton. The congregation began as a mission church, the first Episcopal church organized west of Boston after the Revolution, supported by Boston merchant Samuel Brown, who founded a paper mill nearby and donated land and money. Many early members worked in the area's paper mills. The adjoining cemetery has headstones from 1813 and a plan laid out in 1845, along with a small 1838 hearse shed.
Significance in brief: It is described as the oldest extant church building in Newton and an interesting example of a Federal church remodeled with Gothic detail. It also has historical ties to the early paper-making development of Newton Lower Falls, since its founding patron and many early members were connected to the local paper mills.
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 80000637, listed April 16, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 258 Concord St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 16, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000637 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Federal church remodeled with Gothic (Gothic Revival) detail |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in excellent to good condition, on its original site, and in religious and educational use; the 1941 Parish House and 1946 Rectory are included but do not contribute to its significance. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | Newton Lower Falls Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.32638, -71.25758 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 80000637.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7590289
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.