Stratton, Edward B., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1912 at 25 Kenmore Street in Newton Centre, this stucco house was designed by Boston architect Edward B. Stratton as his own home. It is a cubic, two-story, symmetrical building under a hip roof with dormers, blending Craftsman and Colonial Revival elements. The center entry has fluted pilasters, an entablature with triglyphs and metopes, and a broken segmental pediment, while the window above is framed by Baroque scrolls. One-story wings with arched windows project forward to form a fore court, and a balustraded terrace originally set the house off from the street. Stratton was born in Chelsea in 1870, studied at M.I.T. and in Paris, and practiced in Boston from 1900 to 1952, designing hotels and many Newton houses, libraries, clubs and commercial buildings. The house is valued for its design and for reflecting Newton's early 20th century suburban growth. It remains residential and in good condition.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a handsome and unusual example of early 20th century design combining Craftsman and Colonial Revival elements, with Classical Revival features. It reflects Newton's early 20th century suburban expansion, which filled in established areas and opened new subdivisions. It is also tied to Stratton, a prominent Boston architect who designed many Newton buildings.
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 90000050, listed February 16, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 25 Kenmore St., Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | February 16, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000050 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Edward B. Stratton |
| Architectural style | Craftsman/Colonial Revival (also described as Classical Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential, the same as the original use. Condition is good, with no major alterations and not moved. The house is now almost totally obscured by trees. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Woodland, Newton Highlands, and Newton Centre Railroad Stations, and Baggage and Express Building |
| Coordinates | 42.32815, -71.20376 (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 90000050.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5341686
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.