McGill, John H., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1902 at the northwest corner of Vernon and Mystic Streets in Medford, this two-and-one-half storey Colonial Revival house faces Hastings Heights Park. Boston architect Robert Coit designed it for John H. McGill, a South Boston grindstone manufacturer. The wood-frame house is covered in painted shingles and has a symmetrical south facade divided by four Ionic pilasters, a Tuscan-columned porch, two-storey bow windows, and dormers with a broken scroll pediment. A Palladian window marks the west gable. Inside, carved limestone fireplace surrounds and wooden panelling reflect the owner's wealth. The house stands in an area laid out for development in 1855 but built up around the turn of the century, when much of West Medford became a middle and upper-middle class Boston suburb. It was listed for its architectural quality and its integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. It remains virtually unchanged from its original plans and is Coit's only known Medford work.
Significance in brief: The house is cited for its high architectural quality and as one of the finest examples of its period in Medford. It also reflects the late nineteenth and early twentieth century growth of West Medford as a Boston suburb. It is largely unaltered from its original plans and is Robert Coit's only identified design in Medford.
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 80000640, listed April 9, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 56 Vernon St., Medford |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 9, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000640 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1902 |
| Architect / builder | Robert Coit of Boston |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, unaltered, on its original site, and in use as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.42451, -71.12758 (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 80000640.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6236971
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.