House at 193 Vernon Street
Why it's listed
Standing at 193 Vernon Street in Wakefield, this clapboard house is a 2½-story, gable-roofed Federal style dwelling dated to about 1840. It follows the popular three-quarter form, with three bays and an off-center entrance, and is considered one of the largest examples of that form in town. Like the house at 196 Vernon Street across the way, it has a main entrance on the street and a distinctive minor entrance on the south side. The south doorway has a fine Federal surround with a high entablature and narrow transom, while the front surround appears to have been altered. Because the house does not appear on an 1857 map, it may have been built later than first thought, which would make it an old-fashioned design for its time. A barn built after 1889 recalls the rural character of the road. D. C. Wright, a farmer and milk dealer, lived here in 1869. The property was listed for its architectural significance at the local level.
Significance in brief: The house is notable as a very late and very large example of the three-quarter Federal form in Wakefield. It keeps a fine Federal door surround on its wide south elevation. An associated barn reflects the rural character of the road into the twentieth century.
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 89000674, listed July 6, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 193 Vernon St., Wakefield |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 6, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000674 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good; present use is a two-family residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.51154, -71.06632 (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 89000674.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914032
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.