Hill, Sidney A., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1895 at 31 Chestnut Street in Stoneham, this double house combines Queen Anne style with Stick Style details. Its traditional rectangular core is updated with cross-gables, Stick Style aprons, decorative shingles and a front and side porch on turned balusters. Entries sit at the front corners, each marked by a miniature cross gable on the porch. The house has a brick foundation, clapboard walls and windows with 2/2 sash. It stands in a group of three on the west side of the street, set off by granite curbing. Sidney A. Hill, a lifelong Stoneham resident, lived here; he was a partner in Sanborn and Hill, a small shoe manufacturing firm. He belonged to the second generation of the town's shoe manufacturers, whose homes were comfortable and well detailed but less showy than those of the earlier industrialists. The house retains its integrity and was listed for its architecture and its link to the local shoe industry.
Significance in brief: The house is described as a good local example of the Queen Anne style with Stick Style details, applied to a double house. It is also associated with Stoneham's shoe industry, as the home of a second-generation shoe manufacturer. It is judged to meet 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 84002645, listed April 13, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 31 Chestnut St., Stoneham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002645 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne with Stick Style details |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as a present residence; no major alterations and not moved. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Within district | Nobility Hill Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.47898, -71.10394 (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 84002645.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7508926
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.