Warren, Jonah, House
Why it's listed
Set at 64 Warren Street in Westborough, Massachusetts, this two-and-a-half-story clapboard house dates from about 1720-27 and was built for farmer Jonah Warren. It sits beside a 270-foot stretch of the Old Connecticut Path, an unpaved, two-rod-wide way flanked by stone walls and crossing a granite ford. That section is the only part of the path in Westborough preserved in such condition. The house began as a main block with a deeper second-story overhang, was updated to Georgian taste around the 1740s, and gained an ell later in the century. Features include a central brick chimney, a captain's staircase, a beehive oven, early double-hung windows and a granite-lined cellar tunnel. An English-style barn built before 1803 and stone walls preserve the agricultural setting. The property was listed for its architecture, for its links to town settlement, farming and industry, and for its association with Hercules Warren Fay, a long-term owner.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the finest and best-preserved examples of 18th-century domestic architecture in Westborough. It is also tied to local events, including early settlement, the Great Awakening, the Revolution, and the town's shift to dairy, shoe and straw hat production. Jonah Warren, Aaron Warren and Hercules Warren Fay are singled out as prominent occupants, and the intact Old Connecticut Path adds to the site's value.
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 98001331, listed November 5, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 64 Warren St., Westborough |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | November 5, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98001331 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | CA. 1720-1948 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single-family residence; the form describes the site as retaining considerable integrity, with the path, stone walls and barn surviving. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.24845, -71.60284 (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 98001331.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6271943
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.