Spurr, Eliphalet, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1798 at 103 Walnut Street in Brookline, this clapboard house is one of the few Georgian-style buildings remaining in the town. Its simple ridge roof, five-bay facade, cornerboards, horizontal emphasis and dentiled cornice mark it as a vernacular Georgian design. It is by far the oldest house in a neighborhood now filled with triple-deckers, and its comparatively large lot and generous setback make it stand out. The first owner, Eliphalet Spurr, started the first coach line between Brookline and Boston, with stages leaving from the Punch Bowl Tavern. The venture lasted only a year or two because the twenty-five cent fare was thought too high, and residents kept walking to Boston instead. The land was part of a 1638 grant to Thomas Leverett and later passed through the Gardner and White families. After Spurr died in 1817, Thomas Aspinwall and his sister Elizabeth owned the property until 1842. The house is still a residence.
Significance in brief: The house is considered a rare local example of a vernacular Georgian-style house and is by far the oldest in its neighborhood. Its first owner, Eliphalet Spurr, was a known figure in local transportation who ran the first stagecoach line between Brookline and Boston.
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 85003316, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 103 Walnut St., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003316 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Georgian influence (vernacular Georgian) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the form lists a rear stair installed in 1977 as the only major alteration. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.33111, -71.11878 (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 85003316.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5361291
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.