House at 95 Chestnut Street
Why it's listed
Built in 1849 on a narrow lot in Wakefield, this 1½-story house has its gable end facing Chestnut Street and sits on a granite foundation. Greek Revival details include returning eaves, wide corner boards, a fully pedimented dormer and 6/6 sash. A Stick Style porch with a pedimented roof and sawtooth ornament was added later, and an addition on the northeast dates to about 1900. The house was built by Joshua Whittemore, a former sailor and carpenter who worked on the Massachusetts State House dome and became a metal roofer. After losing a leg in 1850, he turned to crutch making in a building behind the house, where he also made fireworks for local celebrations. His Patent Elastic Crutch, invented in 1862, was produced until 1885. The house is listed as a small, well-preserved vernacular example of Greek Revival design and for its link to this inventor.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a small, well-preserved vernacular example of the Greek Revival style under Criterion C at the local level. It was built by Joshua Whittemore, who patented an elastic crutch in 1862 that was sold worldwide. The house retains integrity of location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.
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 89000725, listed July 6, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 95 Chestnut St., Wakefield |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 6, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000725 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Joshua Whittemore (builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; present use is a dwelling, with a noncontributing c. 1930s garage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.50188, -71.08292 (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 89000725.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914512
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.