House at 190 Main Street
Why it's listed
This house at 190 Main Street in Wakefield faces Lake Quannapowitt in a residential neighborhood. Recorded as built between 1840 and 1856, it is a gable-end, side-hall-plan dwelling that appears to have been remodeled in the Italianate style, perhaps around 1870. Its jerkin-head gable roof, tall windows, and narrow porch with chamfered pillars and a flat arched frieze reflect that remodeling. An enclosed portico with paneled pilasters and a tall glass arch sits within the porch. A barn, said to date from the 1750s, is now joined to the house by rear additions. The house may have belonged to John S. Eaton, a state representative and selectman from an early settler family. By 1869 William F. Young, an early commuter to Boston who worked for a grocery firm, lived here and probably gave the house its Italianate look. It was listed for its architecture and its well-preserved integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a well-preserved example of the gable-end, side-hall-plan house popular in the mid-19th century, with a wealth of Italianate detailing. It retains integrity of location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling and association, and meets criterion C at the local level. It is also linked to John S. Eaton and William F. Young, who probably gave it its Italianate look.
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 89000666, listed July 6, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 190 Main St., Wakefield |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 6, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000666 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as good; the house is in present use as a dwelling, with an attached barn to the rear. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.51375, -71.07358 (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 89000666.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914029
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.