Kingsley, Chester, House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1866 at 10 Chester Street in North Cambridge, this wood-frame house began as a modest mansard dwelling for Chester Kingsley, with S. Stiles as builder. In 1890 Kingsley commissioned extensive alterations that still define its appearance, adding Queen Anne and Colonial Revival features and a rear ell. The entrance porch has paired fluted columns on pedestals beneath a pediment with a molded plaster foliate centerpiece. A curved porch wraps the west side, and a three-story cylindrical tower with a conical roof and slender finial occupies the western corner. The original mansard roof survives with scalloped slates. The rear ell was enlarged in 1919 to accommodate a hospital, and the building continues as a nursing home. It is valued as an elaborate vernacular example of nineteenth-century suburban growth in North Cambridge. Kingsley served in both the State Senate and the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes the house as an elaborate vernacular dwelling that epitomizes nineteenth-century suburban development in North Cambridge. It applies Queen Anne and Colonial Revival detail to a modest 1866 Mansard structure. Kingsley's 1890 alterations still dominate the building. Kingsley served in both the State Senate and the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
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 82001954, listed April 13, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 10 Chester St., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001954 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | S. Stiles, builder |
| Architectural style | Mansard/Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Continues in use as a nursing home; the form lists its present use as commercial. A rear ell was enlarged in 1919 to accommodate a hospital. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.39368, -71.12429 (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 82001954.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5093622
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.