Almshouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1852 at 136 Elm Street, Stoneham's almshouse served as the town poorhouse, housing the "older unfortunates" but not children. It replaced an earlier almshouse and was enlarged in 1890. The clapboarded wood-frame building rises two and a half stories from a granite foundation to a gable roof with deep projecting eaves. Its five-bay main block has end chimneys and a center hall, a conservative plan for its date that reflects its practical purpose. The facade has a central entrance with a Greek Revival surround of transom and full-length sidelights. Side and rear ells and later additions extend the main block. A two-story barn of rusticated cast stone blocks stands on the property. Although later subdivisions cut into the original tract, a tree-lined entrance road recalls its earlier setting. The building is valued as one of few surviving 19th-century poorhouses in the Boston area and as a record of how the town cared for its poor and elderly. It is still used as a nursing home.
Significance in brief: It is described as one of the few intact 19th-century poorhouses surviving in the metropolitan Boston area. It is significant as a rare example of an important 19th-century building type and for its association with the care of Stoneham's aged and indigent. The form states that it meets criteria A and C and retains integrity of location, setting, materials and association.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84002464, listed April 13, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 136 Elm St., Stoneham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002464 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a nursing home / senior citizens center; owned by the Town of Stoneham. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.49171, -71.08745 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84002464.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4734022
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.