House at 196 Main Street
Why it's listed
Located at a corner on Main Street in Wakefield, Massachusetts, this two-and-one-half-story, five-bay clapboard house overlooks the lake and faces west. Dated to 1790-1810 and still used as a dwelling, it was extended at the rear by two stories. It is a well-preserved example of Greek Revival design. Its original porch of fluted Doric columns survives, one of only three such porches on the west side of town, and the hand-carved orders suggest a wealthy, culturally up-to-date owner. A fluted door surround with sidelights, a wide frieze beneath the gable roof and a high-style side door surround with Ionic columns add to its character. The house may have been built for Hiram Eaton, a shoe cutter from the large Eaton family, early settlers who owned the town's leading nineteenth-century store and hotel. It was listed for its architecture, with significance at the local level.
Significance in brief: The house is a well-preserved example of Greek Revival design. It is one of three houses on the west side of Wakefield that keep an original porch of fluted Doric columns, and its detailing is equally fine. It is also tied to Hiram Eaton, a member of the prominent Eaton family.
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 89000668, listed July 6, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 196 Main St., Wakefield |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 6, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000668 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as good, and the house is in present use as a dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.51312, -71.07356 (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 89000668.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914038
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.