The Bird House was built in 1755 by John Bird. It was built on 216 acres which is now known as Bird Hill. John lived in the house with his wife Mary Lyon. The land and house have both changed over the years. Some of the low areas have been filled in and high ground has been leveled. Some of the original farmland was used for a glue factory and then the land was subdivided into many different building lots in 1810 when the property was sold to John and Joseph Kingsbury.

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Major Ebenezer McIntosh, son of Colonel William McIntosh, was the keeper of The McIntosh Tavern on the corner of Great Plain and Central Ave. In 1822 Ebenezer McIntosh build a home for himself after his wife died. The house was purchased by Dr. Josiah Noyes who helped Asa Kingsbury draw the 1834 map of Needham. Dr. Noyes is also remembered for growing delicious watermelons in his garden. Children were often stealing Dr. Noyes' watermelons from his garden. To figure out which children were stealing the watermelons Dr. Noyes injected them with caster oil. Caster oil gives a person a horrible stomach ache and severe diarrhea. The sick children that came to his office the next day with stomach aches were the ones Dr. Noyes knew who stole his watermelons.

Captain Robert Fuller fought in the Revolutionary War. His house was started in 1707 and completed in 1713. It is believed to be the oldest house standing in Needham. The Fuller house is a saltbox. A saltbox is a frame house with two stories in the front and one in the back. The front of the house is flat with a rear roof line that has a very steep slope, almost to the ground. Originally the house was thought to have 2 rooms on each floor, one on each side of a huge chimney which has now been removed from the house. While the house was being built it is believed that the rooms were used as a parsonage - a residence provided by the church for the minister and family. Religious services may have been held in the house and a Harvard man came each weekend to preach. He paid Captain Fuller six cents to feed him and his horse for the weekend!

The original house was built by Joshua Lewis in 1776. The house was a square, about 36 feet on each side. The room off the kitchen was a borning room. A borning room is where women of the family had their babies since there were no hospitals. In the kitchen there was a big fireplace and a baking oven. Later the side L and back L additions were added. Although the house has had many additions and changes, the original fireplace still exists. After Joshua's death his widow Mary received one third of his estate. She was allowed to use one third of the house. She could wash in the back room, bake in the oven, use the well, and part of the barn. She was also given one third of the pew that Joshua owned in the Meeting House.

During the Revolutionary War, John Tolman lived in this house with his widowed mother. On April 19, 1775 John was seriously injured and returned to the house to recover. After he got better he returned to fight in the war.

The Townsend House, also known as The Old Manse, was built for Jonathan Townsend. the first minister of the First Parish (Unitarian) Church. His father in law, Captain Gregory Sugars, built it for him. At the time it was built, the house stood near the old town center (the intersection of Nehoiden Street and Central Avenue), and was a center of town activity. Other ministers that lived in the house were Samuel West and Stephen Palmer. Needham's East Militia Company assembled at the house before marching out to Lexington in 1775.

In 1829 Israel Whitney bought 2 acres of land from the First Parish Church at a public auction for $100. The house was built sometime between 1829 and 1833. The Whitney House was the home of Postmaster Whitney and the first town post office. Whitney would carry the mail from his house in his leather apron to the school yard. He would then give the mail to the children to take home to their parents. Other times Whitney would spread the mail on his cobbler's table and people would help themselves to their mail. Besides a postmaster Whitney was also a Justice of the Peace and shoe cobbler. In the 1940's the house was sold to Elizabeth D. Revere, the wife of Paul Revere who was the great-great-grandson of the patriot, Paul Revere. One night the Reveres noticed that the Dwight School was on fire. Paul Revere called the fire department to report the fire. When he said it was Paul Revere calling, the firemen laughed thinking that it must be a joke and didn't go to the fire.