House at 22 Parker Road
Why it's listed
This 2½-story clapboard house at 22 Parker Road in Wakefield, Massachusetts, was standing by 1889 and is a high-style example of the Colonial Revival. That style is less common in Wakefield than in many other Boston-area towns. The house has a high foundation typical of the town around 1900, a hipped roof on tall corner pilasters, and three dormers on the east facade: two pedimented and one with a Swan's neck profile. A broad main entry has a fanlight and wide sidelights, a porch with a curved corner wraps the east and north sides, and a large Palladian window faces south. The land was once part of the farm of James Eustis, a merchant, farmer, auctioneer, insurance agent and selectman who settled in South Reading in 1827. His heirs began developing the property in the 1880s, as Wakefield Park was being laid out, and the area filled in over about thirty years with homes for Boston commuters. The house remains in excellent condition and keeps its original character.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a rare example in Wakefield of high-style Colonial Revival design. It is well preserved and illustrates the town's growth as a bedroom community for Boston commuters during the 1880s. It is argued to meet Criterion C at the local level.
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 89000735, listed July 6, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 22 Parker Rd., Wakefield |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 6, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000735 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition and used as a dwelling; replacement 1/1 sash was installed on the second floor around the 1950s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.50477, -71.08715 (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 89000735.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914134
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.