Grover, Henry, House
Why it's listed
Built in the 1880s, this double house at 223-225 Cambridge Street in Winchester sits on a farm parcel of about 9.29 acres along an early road from Cambridge. It has two identical side-by-side units, two and one-half stories, with a rear ell, a four-bay symmetrical facade, paired center doors under an open porch, and polygonal bays on each side. Farmer Henry Grover bought the property in 1884 and had an earlier house, built around 1823 by local housewright Dana Fay, moved in two sections to make room. One section went to Pond Street and the rear ell went across Cambridge Street. Grover shared the new house with Frank Grover until 1912, and the farm once held a barn, greenhouses and henhouses. The Purcell family acquired it in 1923 and still farms some of the land. The property was listed for its rare surviving group of agricultural buildings in their original open rural setting, with three barns remaining and no major alterations recorded.
Significance in brief: The form argues the Henry Grover farm is a rare surviving ensemble of agricultural buildings preserved in their original open rural setting, meeting Criterion A. The house replaced an earlier Dana Fay house moved in 1884, and it was later held by a family that continued farming and selling flowers.
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 89000641, listed July 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 223--225 Cambridge St., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000641 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good, with no major alterations and a mixed commercial/residential use; the present use is a dwelling. Part of the land is still farmed and flowers are sold from a roadside stand. |
| Acreage | 9.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.45375, -71.15818 (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 89000641.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715533
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.