Blue Hills Headquarters
Why it's listed
Built in 1904 on Hillside Street in Milton, this granite building has served as the police and patrol headquarters for the Blue Hills Reservation. Designed by the firm Stickney & Austin in the neo-classical style, its exterior walls are Quincy granite, a local material. An addition was made around 1910, possibly. The Metropolitan District Commission was the original owner and still uses the building for offices connected with the Blue Hills patrol, so its function has not changed. The building was listed as one element of the larger Blue Hills and Neponset River Reservations multiple resource area. Its significance rests on its role in the ensemble of structures that Stickney & Austin designed for the reservation between 1901 and 1911. The nomination calls it a beautiful and vital part of that group, and it relates to the themes of architecture, community development and recreation in the early planned park system serving Boston.
Significance in brief: The form describes it as a beautiful and vital part of the ensemble designed for the Blue Hills Reservation by Stickney & Austin between 1901 and 1911. It was built of local materials. The themes checked are architecture, community development and recreation.
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 80000654, listed September 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Hillside St., Milton |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | September 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000654 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Stickney & Austin |
| Architectural style | Neo-classical |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as offices for the MDC/Blue Hills patrol; the original use is the same as the present use. An addition was made around 1910. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.21569, -71.09250 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 80000654.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4929236
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.