House at 156 Mason Terrace
Why it's listed
Perched at the top of a substantial rise on Corey Hill in Brookline, 156 Mason Terrace is a Queen Anne/Stick style house built between 1888 and 1890 according to tax lists. It was originally a single-family home and was converted to two units in 1967. The wood and stucco building is notable for its ornament, including scroll and plain brackets, volutes, balusters, raking cornices and dentils. The nomination calls it one of the most fanciful houses on the hill and says its details have no rival in the area, though it was in disrepair when surveyed. It is also one of the older houses in a neighborhood once dotted with substantial homes on generous lots, most with commanding views of Boston. The land belonged to the Thomas Griggs estate, and by 1890 the property was held by James Dunbar, a judge of the Superior Court of Massachusetts. It was listed as a unique local example of its style.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the most fanciful on Corey Hill, with decorative details considered without rival in the area. It is described as a unique local example of the Queen Anne/Stick style and one of the older houses in the neighborhood. By 1890 it belonged to James Dunbar, a judge of the Massachusetts Superior Court.
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 85003283, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 156 Mason Terr., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003283 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne/Stick |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in a state of disrepair at the time of the survey; converted to a two-family residence in 1967 and used as a two-family residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.34271, -71.12924 (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 85003283.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5913960
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.