Sanborn House
Also known as: Aigremont
Why it's listed
Sanborn House, also called Aigremont, is a large stuccoed residence at 15 High Street in Winchester, Massachusetts. Designed in 1907 in a Mannerist interpretation of the Beaux Arts style, it sits on a hillside overlooking the town center, with an original carriage house behind it. The main block has two stories and a raised attic, with white painted wood detail, a dentiled entablature, a balustrade and a projecting frontispiece. Oren Cheney Sanborn, son of a founder of the Chase and Sanborn Co. of Boston, built it in 1906-07 at a reported cost of $250,000. The architect is unknown. It was listed for its link to the Sanborn family and for its design, which the nomination calls locally unique and one of few Boston-area houses with mannerist traits. Sanborn sold in 1921; later owners included the Downes family, and from 1947 the Archdiocese of Boston used it for a nuns' residence and school. The town now owns the property.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its association with the Sanborn family, of the Chase and Sanborn Co., and for its architecture. It is described as a locally unique Mannerist interpretation of the Beaux-Arts style and one of few houses in the Boston area with mannerist characteristics. The architect is unknown.
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 81000286, listed December 14, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 21 High St. (formerly 15), Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | December 14, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000286 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906-07 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Mannerist interpretation of the Beaux Arts style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Town of Winchester and marked occupied, with educational and government uses; a 1947 school building on the grounds is non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 9.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.44577, -71.15608 (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 81000286.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7415589
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.