Brown, C.H., Cottage
Why it's listed
This small clapboard house at 34 Wright Street in Stoneham was built around 1840 as a workers' dwelling. It faces the street with a two-bay gable end and has cornerboards treated as pilasters, wide fascia boards, and a raking cornice with gable returns. Windows are simply framed with 2/2 sash. The entry is more elaborate than the house's size would suggest, with full-length sidelights and a full entablature. The house has not been moved, has no recorded major alterations, and remains residential. It was listed as a well preserved and unusually well detailed example of a modest shoe worker's house, tied to Stoneham's main theme and period of development. In the mid-nineteenth century it was owned by C.H. Brown, a partner in the Tidd tannery, who lived in a larger mansion at the corner of Chestnut and Maple Streets. A later letter from the owner mentions differing local dates for construction, ranging from about 1815 to 1820.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a well preserved and unusually well detailed example of a modest shoe worker's house, with integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. It is associated with Stoneham's major theme and period and meets criterion A. It was owned at mid-century by C.H. Brown, a partner in the Tidd tannery.
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 84002525, listed April 13, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 34 Wright St., Stoneham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002525 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the form reports no major alterations, no outbuildings, and that the house has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.47874, -71.10222 (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 84002525.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5006109
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.