Milestone
Why it's listed
A small stone milestone on Harvard Street in Brookline carries the inscription "Boston / 5 Miles / 1729 / P.D." It sits on a landscaped plot in front of United Parish Church, about 150 feet from the corner of Harvard and Marion Streets. Paul Dudley, a naturalist and justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court, placed it as one of a series marking the route from Boston to Cambridge. At that time the road ran through Brookline Village and over Roxbury Neck, because the milldam and its road had not yet been built. The stone has been moved several times. At one point it served as a doorstop at the second Charles Stearns house, built about 1825, and it was later set at a nearby street corner before reaching its present site. It was once stolen and returned. It is one of only two known milestones in town, the other dating from 1810, and it documents early overland travel toward Boston.
Significance in brief: It is one of two known milestones in Brookline and marks an early land route from Cambridge to Boston, passing through Brookline Village and over Roxbury Neck before the milldam road existed. It was placed by Paul Dudley, a naturalist and justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court. The form states it meets criterion A for its link to early transportation.
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 85003301, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Harvard St., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003301 |
| Resource type | Object |
| Architect / builder | Placed by Paul Dudley |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition fair; moved in 1825 and again around 1889; possibly endangered by theft, vandalism and traffic emissions. It was stolen once but returned. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.33998, -71.12090 (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 85003301.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.