Meeting House of the Second Parish in Woburn
Also known as: United Church of Christ Congregational
Why it's listed
Built in 1732 as the meeting house of the Second Parish in Woburn, this six-bay, rectangular church at 12 Lexington Street in Burlington still serves a congregation as the United Church of Christ. Little of the original building survives beyond its basic shape, possibly some wall material behind the interior finish, and its structural frame. The roof framing visible in the attic includes cambered tie beams, curved braces, double rafters, king posts, common purlins and axial bracing. This bracing appears more elaborate than in the other known First Period meeting houses in the survey area, at Revere, North Lynnfield and Marblehead. A Greek Revival remodeling in 1844 added a steeple and an end entrance with Doric columns. In 1885 the steeple was removed and a side entry pavilion with a shorter bell tower was built. The building is valued for what it shows about the skill of early joiners.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building keeps integrity of location, design, materials and workmanship in its late First Period frame, which shows distinctive characteristics of form and construction. It is one of four known surviving First Period meeting houses in the survey area. Its roof framing, especially the elaborate axial bracing, makes it a valuable resource for studying meeting house framing.
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 90000167, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 12 Lexington St., Burlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000167 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | First Period frame, Colonial Revival exterior, Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and in present use as a church. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.50730, -71.07714 (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 90000167.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6807887
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.