National Register of Historic Places

Washington Park Historic District

Newton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
March 12, 2008
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
08000166

About this property

The Washington Park Historic District is a historic district in the village of Newtonville, in Newton, Massachusetts. It includes the following properties, dating to between 1870 and 1900: 4 to 97 Washington Park plus 5 and 15 Park Place. The focal point of the district is the city park which is located in the median of the street of the same name. On March 12, 2008, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The village of Newtonville is located in central Newton, with a business district that straddles the Massachusetts Turnpike at Walnut Street. South of the highway and east of Walnut is a residential area that was laid out in 1865 and developed between 1870 and 1900. It was developed by Dustin Lancey, a Newtonville real estate developer, and was organized in a similar manner to other Newton subdivisions of the period that featured a "pocket park". In this case, Washington Park is an arborway, with a wide strip of parkland dividing the travel lanes. The houses that Lancey built fronting the park were primarily marketed at middle-class workers who commuted into Boston on the railroad. The houses built in the district reflect the architectural styles popular in the last three decades of the 20th century. There are six Second Empire houses, typified by their mansard roofs, that were all built before 1870. The Soden House at 5 Park Place is one of the finest examples of Queen Anne architecture in the district; it was built in 1890, and has the characteristic asymmetrical massing of the style, including a tower with a bellcast roof. The only Stick style house is the Leavitt House at 91 Washington Park; built in 1870, it has the applied exterior decorative woodwork of that style. The most recently built house in the district is the Goodridge House at 27-29 Washington Park, a Colonial/Craftsman duplex built in 1914. Washington Park Historic District (disambiguation) National Register of Historic Places listings in Newton, Massachusetts City of Newton real property database Archived April 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine

Location

4-97 Washington Park & 5,15 Park Place
Newton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.34946, -71.20304

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
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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The Land
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Geology
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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
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Nearby Historic Sites

Claflin School
Industrial
0.2 mi
Building at 1-6 Walnut Terrace
Industrial
0.3 mi
Newtonville Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi
Newtonville Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
0.3 mi
Central Congregational Church
Industrial
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Boston – Cambridge Lines
1775Revolutionary War
5 mi
Skirmish at Menotomy (Arlington)
1775Revolutionary War
5.1 mi
Battle of Menotomy
1775Revolutionary War
5.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Washington Park Historic District listed on the National Register?

Washington Park Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 12, 2008.

What type of historic resource is Washington Park Historic District?

Washington Park Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Washington Park Historic District?

The period of significance for Washington Park Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Washington Park Historic District?

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