Locke-Baldwin-Kinsley House
Why it's listed
Built around 1744 at 45 Green Street in Stoneham, this Colonial house is a two-story, five-bay structure with a center entry, a pitched roof and a granite foundation. A one-story ell extends from the south side. Twin rear wall chimneys are usually associated with the later Federal period, so they may come from an early nineteenth-century remodeling. Shingles replaced the original clapboards in the twentieth century, and the 6/6 windows and door have simple architraves. The house was first owned by the Locke family, whose land reached to Bow Street and beyond. In 1867 Micah B. Baldwin, a saddler and harnessmaker who came back to Stoneham after the Civil War, bought it and used the south ell as a harness shop. Earlier occupants probably ran a shoe shop there. The house is listed as one of Stoneham's few well-preserved eighteenth-century dwellings and the only one with a known shop ell, and for its early design and its ties to nineteenth-century trades.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of Stoneham's few well-preserved eighteenth-century houses and the only one with an ell known to have been used as a shop in the nineteenth century. It is valued for its early design and for its link to nineteenth-century local industry, including a harness shop. It is said to meet criteria A and C.
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 84002742, listed April 13, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 45 Green St., Stoneham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002742 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence, as it was originally; the nomination form records no major alterations or moves. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.48357, -71.08938 (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 84002742.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6665336
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.