Durgin, E. A., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1870 at 113 Summer Street in Stoneham, this large Second Empire cottage was the home of E. A. Durgin, a local dealer in boots, shoes and rubbers who began his business in 1883 in a shop on Main Street. The house has an irregular plan formed by a side-hall core, a north side wing and a rear ell. Its most prominent feature is a steeply pitched tower rising above the entry, along with open porches, a bracketed cornice, pedimented dormers and two-over-two sash. It faces west on a large triangular lot at Summer and Pleasant Streets, which retains its original granite curbing, posts and steps and a rear barn with a cupola. The asphalt roof is the only obvious alteration. It was listed as a well preserved example of Second Empire design and of Stoneham's residential growth during its most prosperous period. A later resident was J. Fassenden, an upholsterer.
Significance in brief: The house is one of Stoneham's few Second Empire residences that keeps its original form, features and setting intact. It is a good local example of the style and a well preserved, typical representative of the town's residential growth during its most prosperous period. It meets criteria A and C.
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 84002572, listed April 13, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 113 Summer St., Stoneham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002572 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a residence; the only noted alteration is an asphalt roof added about 1950. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.47844, -71.09382 (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 84002572.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5321690
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.