Metropolitan District Commission Stable
Why it's listed
This stable on Hillside Street in Milton, Massachusetts, was designed in 1908 by the Boston architects Stickney and Austin and built in 1908-1909. It was originally intended to house horses for the park guards of the Metropolitan Park Commission, and the Metropolitan District Commission still owns it and uses it as a stable. The building is in the Shingle style, with walls of stone and wood shingle, some of it now covered in asbestos shingle, and a stone-walled courtyard. It sits close to the street, about ten feet back. Its importance comes from its place in a group of buildings the same firm designed for the Blue Hills Reservation headquarters. Although some alterations of unknown date have been made, the stable is described as relatively little changed and has stayed in continuous use. It was included in a larger multiple-resource listing covering the Blue Hills and Neponset River Reservations in Norfolk County.
Significance in brief: The stable is an important part of an ensemble of buildings Stickney and Austin designed for the Metropolitan Park Commission's Blue Hills Reservation headquarters. It is relatively little altered and remains in use. The themes checked are architecture, conservation 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 80000663, 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 | 80000663 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Stickney and Austin |
| Architectural style | Shingle style |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a stable; relatively little altered, though some alterations of unknown date are noted. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Blue Hills Reservation Parkways-Metropolitan Park System of Greater Boston |
| Coordinates | 42.21570, -71.09202 (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 80000663.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6825078
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.