National Register Districts

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the American cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources.

These resources contribute to an understanding of the historical and cultural foundations of the nation.The Massachusetts Historical Commission administers the National Register program in Massachusetts.
The Josiah Smith Tavern is located on the National Register as part of the Boston Post Road Historic

Types of Places


Properties listed in the National Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects that are significant in American:
  • Archeology
  • Architecture
  • Culture
  • Engineering
  • History

Weston Houses Individually Listed on the National Register


One Chestnut Street: the earliest section (c. 1696) was built for Abel Allen and has long been considered the oldest remaining house in Weston.

Samuel Train House (342 Winter Street): a well‐preserved early house (c. 1738) owned by three generations of the Train family, including many prominent town leaders.

Henderson House (99 Westcliff Road): a handsome Tudor estate mansion built in 1925 by Boston wool merchant Edward Peirce.

Harrington House (555 Wellesley Street): this well‐preserved early house (c. 1710) belonged to the Hastings/Harrington family for nearly two centuries and was restored in 1908 for artist Dwight Blaney.

Rev. Samuel Woodward House (19 Concord Road): built for Rev. Samuel Woodward, pastor of First Parish Church, in 1752, this house is highly significant for its remarkable Georgian paneling.

Golden Ball Tavern (662 Boston Post Road): a remarkably well‐preserved Georgian tavern built by Isaac Jones in 1768 and occupied by six generations of the Jones family before becoming a museum in the 1960s.

Isaac Hobbs House (87 North Avenue): built around 1761, this was the home for generations of the Hobbs family, owners of the adjacent tannery.

National Register District and a Local Historic District Differences

The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of buildings, sites or areas worthy of preservation. Listing does not restrict what the property owner may do with the property unless the owner is using federal assistance, like federal rehabilitation tax credits.

A local historic district is a district designated by a local ordinance, which falls under the jurisdiction of an appointed citizen-board called a Historic Preservation Commission. It provides communities with the means to make sure that growth, development, and change take place in ways that respect the important architectural, historical, and environmental characteristics.

More Information

The brochure There’s a Difference (PDF) distributed by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, offers a more detailed explanation of the difference between a National Register District and a Local Historic District.

Historic Resources Map (click to enlarge)

NHD map