Loring-Greenough House
Why it's listed
Built in 1760 for Joshua Loring, a privateer and Royal Navy officer who earned the title of Commodore, this nearly square, two-story clapboard mansion sits on a low rise at 12 South Street in Jamaica Plain. It has a granite foundation, a hipped roof with a balustrade, Doric-columned entrance porches, and a carriage house ell added around 1811. It is the last of the many country estates of its era left in the neighborhood. Loring, a Loyalist, fled Boston with the British in March 1776. In June 1775 General Nathanael Greene made the house his headquarters, and it was appointed a hospital for the camp in Roxbury, making it one of the first American military hospitals. After confiscation in 1779 it was sold, and Anne Doane bought it in 1784. The Greenough family owned it until 1924. Later changes include 19th century alterations to the hall and north entrance, and Federal period updates to the windows and balustrade.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to the American Revolution: General Nathanael Greene had his headquarters there in 1775, and it served as one of the first American military hospitals. It is also valued as an example of Colonial architecture and is the last of the many country estates of its period remaining in Jamaica Plain.
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 72000544, listed April 26, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 12 South St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | April 26, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000544 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1760; 1775-76 (18th century) |
| Architectural style | Colonial, with Federal period alterations |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good, altered, on its original site; used as a museum and club. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.30983, -71.11503 (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 72000544.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715676
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.