Lakeside Cemetery Chapel
Why it's listed
Lakeside Cemetery Chapel is a single-story Neo-Gothic building on North Avenue in Wakefield, Massachusetts, completed in 1932. Its design draws on small English country churches. It has a sharply pitched gable roof, repeated in an entrance portico with a slate roof that extends from the north facade. Buttresses mark the north and south sides. The walls are rough-cut, dressed stone with limestone trim at the pointed ogival entrance arch, the ogival windows, the watertable and the stringcourse. The chapel faces west at the end of a drive from North Avenue. It has had no major alterations and is in excellent condition. It was listed because it is one of only two or three Neo-Gothic buildings in town and a well-preserved local example of the style. The cemetery itself was formed in 1846 by Wakefield residents who found the Old Burial Ground inadequate for the growing population. Land reaching North Avenue was acquired later.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the chapel is a well-preserved example of the Neo-Gothic style and one of only two or three such buildings in Wakefield. It keeps its integrity of location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. It meets 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 89000745, listed July 6, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | North Ave., Wakefield |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 6, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000745 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Neo-Gothic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as excellent, with no major alterations and no outbuildings; present use is as a chapel. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.51003, -71.08039 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 89000745.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6479078
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.