Nathaniel Topliff Allen Homestead

The Nathaniel Topliff Allen Homestead is a historic house at 35 Webster Street in the village of West Newton, in Newton, Massachusetts. The Greek Revival house is notable as the home of educator Nathaniel Topliff Allen (1823-1903), an innovative educator of the mid-19th century. Allen's pioneering work was influential in the development of new teaching methods taught at the state normal school (established in Newton, now Framingham State University). The house is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, at 35 Webster Street.[1] The property is now owned by Newton Cultural Alliance.[2]

Nathaniel Topliff Allen Homestead
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	35 Webster Street, Newton, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°21′1″N 71°13′43″W
Area	12,494 square feet (building), 53,423 (land)
Built	1848
Architectural style	Greek Revival
NRHP reference No.	78000457[1]
Added to NRHP	January 9, 1978

Description and history

The Allen Homestead is located at the northeast corner of Webster and Cherry Streets, one block north of the center of West Newton village in a residential area. The homestead consists of a series of connected wood-frame structures, of which the main house is a 2-1/2 story Greek Revival house with a temple front facing Webster Street. This was built in c. 1848–1852, probably by Milo Lucas, a local builder. Behind this block (to the north) is a two-story flat-roofed structure, built in the late 19th century as a dormitory space. This is joined on the right (east) side to the schoolhouse, a 2-1/2 story gable-roofed structure.[3]

Nathaniel Topliff Allen was hired in 1847 by Horace Mann, the Massachusetts Secretary of Education, to operate a model school in Newton, at which students could be taught using methods developed at the nearby Normal School. Allen had attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and taught previously in a number of public highschools before coming to West Newton. Allen's school became an internationally renowned showcase for teaching methods, and rapidly outgrew its facilities. When the Normal School moved to Framingham (becoming the school now known as Framingham State University), Allen purchased its building to continue running his school, West Newton English and Classical School. Allen's innovations included the first-ever kindergarten, and an emphasis on physical fitness, exemplified in part by the school's large (for the period) gymnasium.[3][4]

Nathaniel Allen married Caroline Swift Bassett of Nantucket in 1853; their daughters also became teachers at the school.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Newton, Massachusetts

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
2. City of Newton, Mass. - Maps
3. "NRHP nomination for Nathaniel Topliff Allen Homestead". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
4. "Newton, MA - Allen Family". Retrieved February 19, 2020.