Everett Avenue-Sheffield Road Historic District
Why it's listed
Along the northern and eastern shores of the upper Mystic Lakes in Winchester, Massachusetts, this district of about 49 acres holds large, high-style houses built between the 1890s and 1916. The land was once farmland granted to Increase Nowell, and later belonged to Edward Everett, for whom Everett Avenue is named. An 1898 map shows only two houses on the avenue, but by 1916 there were 33. Developer Phineas Nickerson, often working with architect Dexter Blaikie, built about 24 houses here, many in stucco Craftsman styles, while F. Patterson Smith designed two of the finest Colonial Revival houses. Tudor Revival, Shingle Style, Bungalow and Mission-influenced houses add variety. Wide, gently winding roads, mature shade trees and the lakefront setting give the area a cohesive character. It is recognized as Winchester's finest turn-of-the-century neighborhood and an example of the town's rise as a fashionable suburb for wealthy Boston businessmen.
Significance in brief: The district is presented as Winchester's finest turn-of-the-century neighborhood, with very high architectural quality in Colonial Revival, Medieval Revival and Neo-Rationalist/Craftsman houses. Many were designed by local architects F. Patterson Smith and Dexter Blaikie or built by developer Phineas Nickerson. Its development marked Winchester's growing reputation as a fashionable suburb for wealthy Boston businessmen.
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 89000661, listed July 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Bacon St., Mystic Valley Pkwy., Mystic Lake, Niles Ln., Everett Ave., Sheffield Rd., and Church St., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000661 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1890s-1916 |
| Architect / builder | F. Patterson Smith; Dexter Blaikie; Phineas Nickerson (Blaikie/Nickerson team); Robert Coit |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Medieval Revival (Tudor Revival), Neo-Rationalist/Craftsman, Shingle Style, Queen Anne, Bungalow |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; general condition is described as excellent. Of 129 properties, 20 are classed as intrusions. |
| Acreage | 49.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.44581, -71.14577 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 89000661.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5416974
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.