Chandler, Gen. Samuel, House
Why it's listed
Perched on the summit of Meriam Hill above Lexington Green, this two-story Italianate villa was built in 1846 for General Samuel Chandler. Local architect Isaac Melvin designed it in the manner popularized by Andrew Jackson Downing. Rusticated wood siding imitates stone block, and a shallow gabled roof carries overhanging eaves with double brackets. Round-arched windows with bracketed pediments, a small Palladian window, a semicircular bay and an asymmetrically placed three-story campanile tower give the house the irregular, picturesque massing typical of the villa style. Only the veranda was altered, in the 1920s. The house is considered the only fully developed Italian villa in Lexington. Chandler, born in Lexington in 1795, served in the War of 1812, ran the Monument House inn, sat in the State Senate in 1839, and later served as sheriff of Middlesex County. He lived here until his death in 1867.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the only fully developed Italian villa-style house in Lexington. It also reflects its original owner, General Samuel Chandler, a War of 1812 veteran who became a local official, state senator and Middlesex County sheriff.
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 77000176, listed April 13, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 8 Goodwin Rd., Lexington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000176 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1846 |
| Architect / builder | Isaac Melvin (Issac Melvin as spelled in the form) |
| Architectural style | Italianate villa |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence on a well-maintained property; the only known alteration is a change to the veranda in the 1920s. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.45122, -71.22874 (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 77000176.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5530819
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.