Brackett, Edward A., House
Why it's listed
Built between 1850 and 1854 at 290 Highland Avenue in Winchester, this octagon house stands on a wooded hillside on the west slope of the Middlesex Fells Reservation. Edward A. Brackett, a Maine-born sculptor, poet and naturalist, designed it himself after Orson S. Fowler's 1848 pattern book, A Home For All. Rather than copying Fowler, he devised a plan of four interlocking octagons with varied rooflines, giving the house a highly irregular, picturesque appearance. The original vertical board-and-batten siding and bracketed eaves were altered around 1900, when Brackett added a fifth octagon, a wraparound verandah and stucco cladding. These changes were consistent with his and Fowler's design intent. It is the only octagon house in Winchester and is considered significant at the state level for its inventive design. Brackett lived here until his death in 1908, and also served 37 years on the Massachusetts Fish and Game Commission. The house retains its setting and design nearly intact.
Significance in brief: The house is an unusually inventive adaptation of Orson S. Fowler's 1848 octagon pattern book, using four interlocking octagons with varied rooflines for a picturesque effect. It is Winchester's only octagon house and is judged significant at least statewide. It also reflects the life of Brackett, a sculptor, naturalist and long-serving fish and game commissioner.
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 89000626, listed July 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 290 Highland Ave., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000626 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Edward A. Brackett |
| Architectural style | Octagon |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is as a dwelling; condition is described as excellent. |
| Acreage | 4.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.45006, -71.12875 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 89000626.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5341435
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.