Tufts, Peter, House
Why it's listed
Capt. Peter Tufts built this large, rectangular, two-story brick house in Medford between about 1677 and 1680. Its brick walls are 18 inches thick, and the end chimneys were probably built into them for economy, which was unusual in 17th-century New England. The steep roof is truncated at the top to form one of the earliest-known gambrel roofs, and a brick belt course marks the floor level between stories. Small oval port-hole windows, of unexplained origin, once pierced the walls. The plan is nearly Georgian, with a central hall and two rooms on each side of each story, despite the early date. Inside, oak summer beams and girts and the original stairway survive. The house is noted as one of the few brick houses of its century and as a transitional design mixing medieval and Georgian elements. An 1890 remodeling added the front porch and dormers and replaced the first-floor casement windows, and sandblasting later marred the exterior.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of one of the few brick houses built in 17th-century New England. It is one of the earliest brick houses planned from the start with two rooms deep in each story. It is also a transitional house that combines medieval and Georgian features, and it has one of the earliest-known gambrel roofs.
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 68000044, listed November 24, 1968. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 350 Riverside Ave., Medford |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | November 24, 1968 |
| Reference number | 68000044 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1677-1680 |
| Architect / builder | Capt. Peter Tufts |
| Architectural style | Transitional 17th-century brick house with medieval and Georgian features |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated November 24, 1968 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in good to excellent condition, used as a museum and owned by the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities; altered in 1890 and later sandblasted. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.41161, -71.09353 (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 68000044.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7177412
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.