National Register of Historic Places

Townsend House

Needham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Listed
March 31, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82004420

About this property

The Townsend House is a historic late First Period house in Needham, Massachusetts, United States. The 2+1⁄2-story wood-frame house was built in 1720 by Gregory Sugars, a sea captain, for his son-in-law, Rev. Jonathan Townsend. The building has retained little external appearance as an early 18th century house, showing the adaptive reuse and restyling of older houses. It was given a Federal appearance in the 1780s by its second owner, Rev. Samuel West, and was, under his ownership, used as a muster site for the local militia prior to the 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord. The building has been much modified over the years (including the addition of a mansard-like roof), but many of its older interior rooms have retained features from the 18th century. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Location

980 Central Ave.
Needham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
42.29134, -71.24905

Categories

MILITARYEDUCATIONARCHITECTURERELIGION
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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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Literature
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Nearby Historic Sites

Mills, Davis, House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Whitney, Israel, House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Fuller, Robert, House
Industrial
0.4 mi
McIntosh Corner Historic District
Listed
0.6 mi
Fuller, Amos, House
Industrial
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Townsend House listed on the National Register?

Townsend House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 31, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Townsend House?

Townsend House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Townsend House?

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

Can I research the history near Townsend House?

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