Grange, The, (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: Codman Farm; See Also:Grange,The
Why it's listed
Set on 34.65 acres in Lincoln, Massachusetts, The Grange was the country seat of the Codman family. It consists of the Codman Estate, with its hilltop mansion, greenhouse, stable and barn, and the adjoining Codman Farm, with a farmhouse and three barns. The mansion began as a two-story clapboard house built between 1735 and 1741 and was more than doubled in size during a Federal-style remodeling in 1797-98 that is attributed to Charles Bulfinch. Boston architect John Hubbard Sturgis altered the house in the 1860s and designed the farmhouse and an 1863 barn. Ogden Codman, Jr., later a Classical Revival architect, grew up here. The property was first the Russell family farm, whose members held colonial and state offices, before the Codmans acquired it in 1790. It also holds about 40,000 family documents, furnishings and art, a documented farming history, and an Italian-style garden built in 1899.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the nine buildings are important for architecture, including Federal-period changes to the mansion attributed to Charles Bulfinch and buildings designed by John Hubbard Sturgis and by Snell and Gregerson. It also cites the Russell and Codman families' roles in local and state affairs, a large Codman document collection, the family's furnishings and art, a long-documented agricultural history, and formal landscape features.
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 76001969, listed May 28, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Codman Rd., Lincoln |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | May 28, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001969 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799, 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Charles Bulfinch (attributed, Federal-period changes); John Hubbard Sturgis; Snell and Gregerson (stable, c. 1870) |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal, Victorian and Classical Revival features |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and unaltered. The estate is held by a preservation society and the farm by the town. The farm has been reactivated as a community farm. |
| Acreage | 18.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.41608, -71.32932 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 76001969.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.