Winthrop Parkway, Metropolitan Parkway System of Greater Boston
Why it's listed
Winthrop Parkway runs about three-quarters of a mile along the shore of Massachusetts Bay in Revere, Massachusetts. It is one of eight ocean parkways in Boston's Metropolitan Park System. The first segment passes through the Beachmont residential neighborhood from Eliot Circle to Leverett Avenue, with two small parks and tree-lined sidewalks. The second segment follows the water, separated from the beach by a sidewalk and seawall, with views toward Nahant, Short Beach and Massachusetts Bay. Tide gates near Leverett Avenue are also included. Planning began in 1895, and the first section was built in 1909 on land contributed by a railroad. The shoreline extension was authorized in 1915 and finished by 1919. Designed under the Olmsted firms for the Metropolitan Parks Commission, it connected the Revere Beach and Winthrop reservations and reflects Charles Eliot's ideas of public ownership and access to the shore. It was widened in 1946, and its significance period runs to 1956.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the oldest parkways designed for the Metropolitan Parks Commission by Olmsted, Olmsted and Eliot and its successor firm, Olmsted Brothers. It reflects the principles of public ownership, control and access that Charles Eliot set out for ocean parkways, and it linked the Revere Beach and Winthrop reservations. It is significant at the state level under Criteria A and C.
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 03001471, listed January 21, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Winthrop Parkway, Revere |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | January 21, 2004 |
| Reference number | 03001471 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1895-1956 |
| Architect / builder | Charles Eliot, Olmsted Brothers |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Conservation, Engineering, Entertainment/Recreation, Landscape Architecture, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a public road (State Route 145) with adjacent DCR-owned pocket parks; current functions listed as outdoor recreation, park and road related. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.39147, -70.98146 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 03001471.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1193009
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.