Hovey-Winn House
Why it's listed
Built around 1841 at 384 Main Street in Winchester, this one-and-a-half story cottage reflects the Greek Revival style in an unusual local form. Its steeply pitched gable roof extends forward over the front, creating a full-width Doric portico as part of the house itself. Two gabled dormers with six-over-six sash face the street, and the center entrance has a paneled door with sidelights. A rear ell, added in several stages, sits offset to the left. The builder was John H. Coats, who constructed at least a dozen houses along Main Street in the 1840s and 1850s. The house went up as Winchester shifted from scattered farms to a busy village following the Boston & Lowell Railroad's arrival in 1835. Occupants over time included Reverend William Eustis, druggist and first town clerk Josiah Hovey, his son-in-law Dennis Winn, who ran the town's first livery stable, and Postmaster William Fitch. It was listed for its architectural distinction and still serves as a dwelling.
Significance in brief: The house is an uncommon local example of a Greek Revival cottage whose overshot front gable forms an integral full-width Doric portico. It is also linked to a period when Winchester changed from scattered farms to a busy village after the railroad arrived in 1835. Its early occupants included a minister, the town's first clerk and the owner of its first livery stable.
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 89000616, listed July 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 384 Main St., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000616 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John H. Coats, builder |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a dwelling; condition is listed as very good, with no major alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.44761, -71.13462 (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 89000616.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5917135
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.