National Register of Historic Places

Dutch House, The

Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Listed
January 24, 1986
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
86000093

About this property

The Dutch House is a historic multi-unit residential building at 20 Netherlands Road in Brookline, Massachusetts. This four-story brick building was originally built as an exhibition hall at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, where it served as the Dutch Cocoa House. It is a close copy of the Franeker City Hall in Franeker, Netherlands. The door frame, embellished with stone animals, is a replica of the Enkhuizen Orphanage. The building's interior is highly ornate, with massive ceiling beams and Flemish wooden panels. The original dining room included classic blue and white Delftware tiles, some more than 300 years old. The exterior has a high mansard roof that extends over two floors, and has stepped gables. The windows include more than 12,000 individual lights of leaded green glass. The building was erected at the World's Fair by the Van Houten Cocoa Company, and was one of the few privately built fair buildings to win a medal. After the fair ended, the building was purchased by Brookline resident Charles Brooks Appleton, who had seen it there. The building was dismantled brick by brick and reconstructed at its present location, although some of its brickwork was covered by cement in imitation of stonework. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Netherlands Road was named in honor of the house. Because it was built by the Netherlands and is a copy of a Dutch building, it is considered one of the finest examples of Dutch High Renaissance styling in the nation.

Location

20 Netherlands Rd.
Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
42.33609, -71.11227

Categories

ARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Toussaint, Winand, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Massachusetts Mental Health Center
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Bowditch, William Ingersoll, House
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0.2 mi
House at 53 Linden Street
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0.2 mi
Standish, James H., House
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0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Boston – Roxbury Lines
1775Revolutionary War
0.7 mi
Siege of Boston – Cambridge Lines
1775Revolutionary War
2.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Dutch House, The listed on the National Register?

Dutch House, The was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 24, 1986.

What type of historic resource is Dutch House, The?

Dutch House, The is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Dutch House, The?

The period of significance for Dutch House, The is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Dutch House, The?

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