Locke, Capt. Josiah, House
Also known as: Vinson-Owen 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 1803 on what was then sparsely settled farmland, this brick house at 195 High Street in Winchester is a five-bay, two-story Federal-style building with a central entrance, fanlight, flat columned portico and hipped roof with four end chimneys. Tax records credit either Captain Josiah Locke or his father with its construction. After Locke drowned in 1818, the Probate Court divided the house through its central hall, and the halves stayed in separate ownership for decades, which helps explain the mix of Federal and Greek Revival interior detail. The entrance hall keeps Federal-period wallpaper, a rare survival. The house predates the 1833 railroad and retains much original fabric, including scarfed clapboards and early sash. In the 20th century it belonged to the Vinson family. Maribel Vinson Owen, a nine-time national figure skating champion and Olympian, inherited it in 1942, adding a local link to skating history.
Significance in brief: It is one of a handful of Winchester structures surviving from before the railroad arrived in 1833, and one of few anywhere with a complete room of Federal-period wallpaper still in place. It retains a high proportion of original fabric and reflects the Locke family's history as early settlers. It also has local significance through its link to a 20th-century family of championship skaters.
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 79000356, listed March 2, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 195 High St., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | March 2, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000356 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and a private residence; a 1941 fire damaged the west ell, which was then reconstructed. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 42.44383, -71.17279 (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 79000356.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5036451
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.