Parker House
Why it's listed
Built around 1850 at 180 Mystic Valley Parkway in Winchester, this modest T-plan house follows the Tuscan villa mode popularized by A.J. Downing. It stands on higher ground west of the town center, and its early occupants probably enjoyed views from the square cupola. The flushboard siding is scored to imitate ashlar masonry, the six-over-six windows sit beneath applied label mouldings, and paired scroll brackets line the eaves. A three-sided veranda with curvilinear posts wraps the lower story, and a fieldstone retaining wall with a granite cap borders the elevated lot. Kenelum Baker, a local builder, constructed it. Early owners included L. Baker, Boston businessman Andrew Allison, and Dr. John French, who used the ground floor as medical offices; the Parker family acquired it in 1919. The house was listed for its architecture, as a rare local example of the Italian villa style scaled down for a smaller dwelling.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a rare local example of the Italian villa style miniaturized for a smaller dwelling, a type usually associated with more elaborate houses. It meets Criterion C for its architecture, including its cupola, scroll brackets, veranda and scored flushboard siding imitating ashlar masonry.
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 89000628, listed July 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 180 Mystic Valley Pkwy., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000628 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Kenelum Baker, builder |
| Architectural style | Italianate (Tuscan) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as very good; present use is a dwelling, as it was originally. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.44909, -71.13260 (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 89000628.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7138326
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.