Twitchell, Ginery, House
Why it's listed
Located at 17 Kent Street in Brookline, this clapboard house dates from between 1844 and 1855. It does not appear on an 1844 map but is shown on an 1855 map, and an 1858 map identifies Ginery Twitchell as its owner. The house keeps the basic form of the Greek Revival style but carries Italianate details, including double brackets, jigsaw trim over the windows and bays, and distinctive porch supports. This mix gives it a transitional character among the Italianate-influenced houses along the lower part of Kent Street, once called Harrison Place. Twitchell was an express rider who later owned stage lines between Boston and Worcester, became president of the Boston and Worcester Railway and the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad, and served in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is recorded as living at 40 Kent Street. The house was converted to two families in 1927 and remains residential. It survives as an intact example of early domestic architecture in Brookline Village.
Significance in brief: The form argues the house is a well-preserved example of the Greek Revival/Italianate transitional style, with double brackets, jigsaw detailing and distinctive porch supports. It also reflects the size and scale of domestic architecture in early Brookline Village. It is tied to Ginery Twitchell, a pioneer of stagecoach transportation between Boston and Worcester.
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 85003240, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 17 Kent St., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003240 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect information not available; probably built by Ginery Twichell |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival/Italianate transition |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; converted to two families in 1927; garage outbuilding. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.33333, -71.11775 (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 85003240.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5562970
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.