McCall, Samuel W., House
Why it's listed
Built between 1902 and 1904 at 4 McCall Road in Winchester, this 2½-story house was constructed by Samuel W. McCall, who was then partway through a twenty-year term in Congress. Its first story is uncoursed fieldstone, while the slightly overhanging second story is clad in stucco beneath a red slate roof. An asymmetrical facade centers on a stone porch with two wide arched openings and a geometric parapet, and two unequal cross gables each hold a bank of three windows. The design avoids historicizing detail, giving a crisp, geometric effect that the nomination describes as an ambitious example of rationalist architecture. McCall began his political career in the Massachusetts legislature in 1887, later served in Congress, and was governor for three terms ending in 1919. The house was built at the height of his active career. It remains a dwelling in excellent condition with no recorded alterations, and was listed for both its architecture and its association with McCall.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an ambitious example of rationalist design, with stuccoed walls and no historicizing detail that give a crisp geometric effect. It is also tied to Samuel McCall, who served as state legislator, congressman and governor of Massachusetts. The house was built at the apex of his active career. It meets criteria B 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 89000657, listed July 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4 McCall Rd., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000657 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by Samuel W. McCall |
| Architectural style | Neo-rationalist |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a dwelling; condition described as excellent, with no alterations noted. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.44095, -71.15360 (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 89000657.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q136026206
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.