Tuckerman, William F., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1856 according to the tax list, this clapboard house at 63 Harvard Avenue in Brookline was first the single-family home of William F. Tuckerman, a coppersmith who kept a shop on Sudbury Street in Boston. He owned it until 1869, when it was sold to Edward I. Thomas, probably after his death. The house has a low gable roof, a dentilled cornice, an arched window at the peak, and side eaves supported by elaborate consoles. A porch with a classical cornice runs across the front. A large barn with a cupola survives on the lot. The house was altered into a two-family residence in 1957. It was found significant as a well-preserved Italianate house that keeps its original barn. Together with its yard, the property shows what Harvard Avenue looked like in the 1880s, when substantial frame houses with barns stood on wide lawns well back from the street.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a well-preserved example of vernacular or high-style Italianate architecture and meets criterion C. It keeps its original barn and gives a good picture of how Harvard Avenue looked in the 1880s, when large frame houses sat on wide lawns set back from the street.
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 85003321, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 63 Harvard Ave., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003321 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Residence; converted to a two-family house in 1957. The form describes its condition as excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.33687, -71.12371 (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 85003321.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8008884
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.