Nightengale, Solomon, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1820 by Solomon Nightengale, this wood-clapboard house at 429 Granite Street in Southwest Quincy is a Federal-style three-quarter Cape. The Nightengale family settled the area in the 18th century and farmed several properties nearby. The house stayed in the family until the 1920s, when a carpenter, John Lehto, owned it. It sits on a low granite foundation under a ridge roof with a large chimney. A porticoed entrance with two fluted Doric columns, a pedimented roof and leaded sidelights was added in the late 19th century, at the start of the Colonial Revival era. A one-story rear ell was added by 1888, and granite posts at the driveway are counted as contributing. It is the oldest house on a street now dominated by a school. It was listed for its link to agricultural development in the Federal period and as one of three well-preserved Capes built in Quincy before 1850.
Significance in brief: The house keeps its integrity of design, location, materials, feeling and association with agricultural development in Quincy during the Federal period. It is one of three well-preserved Capes built in Quincy before 1850. It meets Criteria A and C at the local level.
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 89001342, listed September 20, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 429 Granite St., Quincy |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | September 20, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001342 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Solomon Nightengale (builder); architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal (three-quarter Cape) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good; it is in present use as a single-family dwelling and has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.24544, -71.00476 (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 89001342.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7558716
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.