West Newton, Massachusetts

The West Newton Theater, in the heart of West Newton village

West Newton is a village of the City of Newton, Massachusetts and is one of the oldest of the thirteen Newton villages. The postal ("Zip") code 02465 roughly matches the village limits.

Location

West Newton is located in the north central part of Newton and is bordered by the town of Waltham on the north and by the villages of Auburndale on the west, Newton Lower Falls on the extreme southwest, Newtonville on the east, and Waban on the south.

Railroad Station

The West Newton train stop is located near a still-standing inn (now small shops) that served as a stagecoach stop. The station was destroyed in the construction of the Massachusetts Turnpike.

West Newton Square

West Newton Cinema

West Newton Square, the town center of West Newton is home to many local businesses and venues. These include the historic West Newton Cinema, a small theatre that shows independent films, which was originally called the West Newton Theatre.

Many popular restaurants are located in West Newton, ranging from the upscale French bistro Lumiere to Sweet Tomatoes Pizza and Coney Island Ice Cream Cafe. Blue Ribbon Bar-B-Q is another local favorite, and attracts fans from far and wide.

There are several civic buildings in West Newton Square. They include the Newton Police Department and the local courthouse, both located on Washington Street, as well as the Chinese Community Center on Elm Street. The square once had a branch of the Newton Free Library as well as the Davis Elementary School on Waltham Street. Both closed in the 1980s owing to municipal financial constraints. The library building on Chestnut Street is now a police annex, while the school operates as a community center.

Losses due to turnpike construction

(This list is incomplete: please add to)

West Newton Fire House, Washington Street
West Newton Boston and Albany Railroad Station
Lincoln Park, Washington Street, although the Lincoln Park Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King once preached, still exists.
The Curve Street neighborhood, originally settled by freed slaves before the Civil War and still inhabited by many black families and the largely black Myrtle Baptist Church, was considerably reduced in size.
Tony's drug store. Tony moved the business to a corner location out of the way of the turnpike, but to the detriment of the old-fashioned atmosphere. The new place was called the Newtondale Pharmacy.
The Block - at Washington St. and Davis Court. 1st floor was store fronts; the upper floors were apartments. When you went around to the back you could see all the back porches which overlooked a lot with railroad cars and Border Street.
Davis Ct - still exists as completely commercial, however, the houses scattered on the land are all gone; 5 Davis Court was a duplex.

Transportation

West Newton is served by the MBTA Commuter Rail (Framingham/Worcester Line) and is roughly one mile from the Woodland station on the Green Line "D" Branch. West Newton is also served by express buses 505, 553, 554 that provide service to Boston and Waltham.

West Newton also has easy access to the Massachusetts Turnpike and Route 128 (Massachusetts)/I-95. The Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90) runs through West Newton. Routes 30 and 16 also pass through the West Newton.

Places on the National Register of Historic Places

Arthur F. Luke House — 221 Prince St. (added March 16, 1990)
Brae-Burn Historic District — Brae Burn and Windmere Rds. (added March 16, 1990)
C. A. Sawyer House (Second) — 86 Waban Ave. (added March 16, 1990)
C. G. Howes Dry Cleaning-Carley Real Estate — 1173 Washington St. (added March 16, 1990)
Charles D. Elliott House — 7 Colman St. (added October 4, 1986)
Charles W. Noyes House — 271 Chestnut St. (added March 16, 1990)
Charles Maynard House — 459 Crafts St. (added May 4, 1996)
Day Estate Historic District — Commonwealth Ave. and Dartmouth St. (added March 16, 1990)
Dr. Samuel Warren House — 432 Cherry St. (added February 3, 1985)
First Unitarian Society in Newton — 1326 Washington St. (added October 4, 1986)
Galen Merriam House — 102 Highland St. (added October 4, 1986)
George W. Eddy House — 85 Bigelow Rd. (added March 16, 1990)
House at 170 Otis Street — 170 Otis St. (added October 4, 1986)
Levi Warren Jr. High School — 1600 Washington St. (added March 16, 1990)
Nathaniel Topliff Allen Homestead — 25 Webster St. (added February 9, 1978)
Peirce School — 88 Chestnut St. (added 1979)
Railroad Hotel — 1273-1279 Washington St. (added October 4, 1986)
Second Church in Newton — 60 Highland St. (added March 16, 1990)
Webster Park Historic District — Along Webster Pk. and Webster St. between Westwood St. and Oak Ave. (added October 4, 1986)
West Newton Hill Historic District — Roughly bounded by Highland Ave., Lenox, Hampshire, and Chestnut Sts. (added October 4, 1986)
West Newton Village Center Historic District — Roughly Washington St. from Putnam to Davis Ct. (added March 16, 1990)
West Parish Burying Ground — River and Cherry Sts. (added December 13, 2004)
Windsor Road Historic District — Windsor and Kent Rds. (added March 16, 1990)

Notable people