Lawson Tower
Why it's listed
Rising 153 feet above a lawn near Scituate Common, this shingled tower conceals a working water standpipe. The wrought iron standpipe, seventy-five feet high, was erected in 1900 by a private water company. In 1902 it was covered with wood and shingle cladding and a superstructure in a high eclectic revival style, with a bell room, clock room, flared conical roof, pagoda-topped dormers and a turret holding a 123-step spiral staircase. Thomas Lawson, a Wall Street magnate building his estate Dreamwold nearby, disliked the bare tank and paid $60,000 to have it enclosed, using a design chosen after an architect sketched towers across Europe. Ten bells connect to a keyboard at ground level, and the clock plays the Angelus twice daily. The tower is still used for the town's water supply. It is regarded as a distinctive landmark closely tied to Scituate's community image and possibly unique in Massachusetts.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a significant architectural landmark in Scituate and notes that its shingle covering and architectural detail may be unique in Massachusetts. It also stands as a memorial to Thomas Lawson, the wealthy Wall Street financier who paid for the enclosure so the plain tank would not spoil the view from his nearby estate.
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 76001963, listed September 28, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Off First Parish Rd., Scituate Center |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | September 28, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001963 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architectural style | High eclectic revival (listed as Eclectic) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in active use as the town's water supply; recently re-shingled by the Town of Scituate; condition listed as excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.20045, -70.75540 (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 76001963.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6505011
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.