Brown-Stow House
Also known as: Ichabod Stow House
Why it's listed
Set on the south side of Harvard Road in Stow, this house began as a single-cell, two-story frame building with a gabled roof and central chimney, probably in the early 18th century. The land was granted to Boaz Brown in 1699, and he died in 1711. Stephen Stow bought it in 1764, and it stayed in the Stow family into the twentieth century. The house later grew to a double-cell plan with a five-bay facade, then gained a rear leanto in the late 18th century, giving it a saltbox profile. A 19th-century ell and a 1950s ell followed. Little framing is exposed, but the house keeps longitudinal summer beams, a fieldstone chimney, and a principal-rafter roof without purlins. Remnant diamond-shaped quarrels and original room proportions point to a First Period frame. Second Period paneling and unusual tombstone-design overmantel panels add to its interest. Its listing rests on its architectural features and its potential to yield information on regional building practices.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house preserves First Period framing evidence, including remnant diamond-shaped quarrels and original room proportions, that may yield information on Middlesex County building practices (Criterion D). It also meets Criterion C for longitudinal second-story summer beams, a fieldstone chimney, and a closely spaced principal-rafter roof without purlins, a transitional example of regional architecture.
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 90000182, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 172 Harvard Rd., Stow |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000182 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | First Period / Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Residential use; condition described as good. |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Coordinates | 42.44014, -71.53619 (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 90000182.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4975984
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.