Dean, Silas, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1840 at 8 Pine Street in Stoneham, this five-bay, center-entry cottage reflects the Greek Revival style. Its front porch is formed by the front slope of the roof extending over a cutaway facade, with four Tuscan columns carrying a wide bracketed frieze. The entry has full-length sidelights, windows hold six-over-six sash, and the main block rests on a granite foundation. A rear ell on a brick foundation may be somewhat later. The main alteration is aluminum siding and storm windows. The house is tied to Silas Dean, born in 1815, who served as town clerk for over forty years and also worked as historian, auctioneer, justice of the peace, educator and merchant. His History of Stoneham appeared in 1870 and formed the basis for a later town history published in 1891. In 1842-43 he ran a private school in the house and kept his Town Clerk office in a rear room. These associations account for its listing under criterion B.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant mainly for its association with Silas Dean, one of Stoneham's most prominent nineteenth-century citizens, under criterion B. It is also one of a small number of Greek Revival cottages in town with a porch formed by the front roof slope over a cutaway facade. The form says it retains integrity of location, design and setting.
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 84002565, listed April 13, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 8 Pine St., Stoneham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002565 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Literature, Education, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential, with a private office; aluminum siding and storm windows have been added. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.48099, -71.09719 (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 84002565.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7514140
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.