New Riding Club
Why it's listed
Built in 1891-1892 at the corner of Hemenway and Norway Streets in Boston's Fenway area, this brick building housed the New Riding Club, a social club for prominent Bostonians. It combined clubrooms, a riding ring and a stable that offered grooming, shoeing, feeding, exercising and veterinary care for members' horses, conveniently near the new bridle paths of the Fenway. Architect Willard T. Sears of Cummings and Sears designed it, and Woodbury and Leighton built it. Its tan and red brick walls, steep roofs, half-timbered gables, rock-faced sandstone trim and corbelled cornice make it a rare local example of Tudor Revival/Queen Anne design with nearly all original elements intact. The club closed in 1934 and the Badminton and Tennis Club took over the building. The riding ring now holds tennis courts, and the stable was converted to apartments from 1985. The property was recognized for its architecture and its association with the club and with Sears.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an outstanding and rare local example of half-timbered Tudor Revival/Queen Anne architecture that preserves nearly all of its original design. It is also tied to Willard T. Sears, a prominent Boston architect, and to a social club of prominent Bostonians. It meets criteria A and C at the local level.
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 87001394, listed August 20, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 52 Hemenway St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | August 20, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001394 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1891-1892 |
| Architect / builder | Willard T. Sears (architect); Woodbury and Leighton (builders) |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival/Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The former riding ring now holds tennis courts and the clubhouse dressing rooms still serve their original purpose. The former stable was converted to apartments in a certified rehabilitation begun in 1985. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.34498, -71.08914 (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 87001394.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7011202
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.