Otis-Wyman House
Why it's listed
Built around 1883 at the corner of Thurston and Evergreen streets in Somerville's Winter Hill neighborhood, this Queen Anne style house was the first on its block of Thurston Street after local mustard and spice manufacturers subdivided the land in the early 1880s. The street later filled with Queen Anne and Colonial Revival houses built by speculators for Somerville businessmen. William R. Otis, a cabinetmaker, owned the property in 1884, and by 1897 it was the home of Charles B. Wyman, a restaurant owner. Although covered by two layers of siding, the house keeps much of its original decorative trim, including pressed and carved wooden ornament, foliated bargeboard and a second-story balcony on consoles. Its asymmetrical roofline with hooded dormers and varied windows is typical of the style. Inside, plaster cornices, ceiling medallions and Minton tile fireplace surrounds survive. It was listed for its architecture and its link to the area's late-19th-century development.
Significance in brief: The house is described as an exceptional example of Queen Anne architecture in Somerville, retaining much original exterior trim and interior plaster and tile detail. It was the first house built on its block of Thurston Street after the area was subdivided in the early 1880s. Its successive owners, a cabinetmaker and a restaurant owner, reflect the businessmen who moved into Winter Hill in the late 19th century.
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 89001289, listed September 18, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 67 Thurston St., Somerville |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 18, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001289 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; condition rated fair/good, with no major alterations recorded and no outbuildings. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.39211, -71.09702 (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 89001289.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7108750
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.