Goddard, John, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1767 at 235 Goddard Avenue in Brookline, this two-story clapboard farmhouse has a square, compact form, a hipped roof with a large central chimney, a symmetrical facade and a pedimented entrance portico with Doric columns and sidelights. Inside, the panelling, doors and hardware are characteristic of the Revolutionary period. John Goddard and his wife Hannah Seaver Goddard built it after tearing down an earlier house on the family farm. Goddard served the town in several offices and was later appointed wagon master of the Continental Army. He hid munitions on the farm and took loads of powder to Concord in April 1775. In March 1776 he directed the wagon train that carried cannon and supplies to fortify Dorchester Heights, which led the British to leave Boston. The farm stayed in the Goddard family for more than 200 years. A long ell and the large barn have been demolished, but the house remains one of the few surviving farmhouses of its kind in Brookline and is in residential use.
Significance in brief: The house is a rare, well-preserved example of a small, prosperous 18th-century Brookline farmhouse in the Georgian style. It is also tied to John Goddard, wagon master of the Continental Army, who stored munitions here and directed the wagon train that fortified Dorchester Heights in 1776. The form cites criteria A, B and C.
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 85003270, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 235 Goddard Ave., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003270 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John Goddard (builder and original owner); architect information not available |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Agriculture, Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the barn and the long ell have been removed. |
| Acreage | 2.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.31521, -71.13596 (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 85003270.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6235570
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.