{"nrhp_refnum":"80000639","name":"Oakes, Edward, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"5 Sylvia Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Medford","county":"Middlesex County","state":"MA","lat":42.41204011700006,"lon":-71.11044464699995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1980-04-09","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-and-one-half-story timber-frame house with a gambrel roof and central chimney, now at 5 Sylvia Road in Medford, Massachusetts. It was built about 1728-1729, probably by Edward Oakes, and moved to this site in 1977 from 460 Riverside Avenue.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the house is Medford's best preserved example of vernacular eighteenth-century architecture. It keeps its simple exterior, central chimney, gambrel lean-to roof and interior woodwork. Despite the move, it is said to retain integrity of design, materials and workmanship. Only it and the later Jonathan Brooks House remain as Medford's best examples of the type.","narrative":"This two-and-one-half-story timber-frame house in Medford, Massachusetts, was built around 1728-1729 and is believed to have been raised by Edward Oakes, a local taxpayer, constable and fenceviewer. It has a massive central chimney, a steeply pitched gambrel roof with an eighteenth-century lean-to, and a symmetrical five-bay facade. Inside, raised-panel room ends and a narrow stair in front of the chimney survive. The house originally stood at 460 Riverside Avenue, on land Oakes bought from Peter Tufts. When commercial development threatened demolition, it was moved in 1977 across the Mystic River and Route 93 to Sylvia Road, near the Isaac Royall House. The entry and rear elevation are reconstructions. It was listed as Medford's best preserved example of vernacular eighteenth-century architecture, with only the slightly later Jonathan Brooks House comparable.","period_of_significance":"1700-1799 (specific dates 1728-1729)","architect_builder":"Builders unknown (believed built by Edward Oakes)","architectural_style":"Vernacular eighteenth-century architecture; gambrel-roofed, central-chimney house with lean-to","criteria":[],"status_note":"Occupied as a private residence; condition listed as excellent, altered and moved (August 5, 1977).","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:11:55.078435-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/24/7956/63795624/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/80000639.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/80000639/55838d6fbc-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/80000639/55838d6fbc-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"User:Magicpiano","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MedfordMA_EdwardOakesHouse.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">User:Magicpiano</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MedfordMA_EdwardOakesHouse.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63795624","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Oakes_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5344681"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/middlesex-county/oakes-edward-house-80000639/"}