Stanton, Jacob, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1840 at 21 Washington Street in Winchester, this two-and-one-half story clapboard house is the town's only example of a high-styled temple-front Greek Revival dwelling. Its gable end faces the street and is dominated by a two-story classical portico with composite columns. The tympanum and facade are flush-boarded to imitate the cut stone of a Greek temple. Other features include an offset entrance with transom and sidelights, full-length windows, shaped lintels and elaborate iron grillwork that may have come from the builder's own shop. Deacon Nathan Brooks Johnson, a blacksmith, built the house beside his forge. His shop made iron goods for local mills and supplied hardware, iron and tie bolts for the Boston and Lowell Railroad. Johnson was also a church deacon and a member of Winchester's first Board of Selectmen in 1850. Jacob Stanton, a local grocer who built the Brown & Stanton Block downtown, bought the house in 1880. It remains in excellent condition and is still a dwelling.
Significance in brief: The house is described as Winchester's only high-styled temple-front Greek Revival house and is exceptionally well preserved. It is also associated with Deacon Nathan Johnson, a local blacksmith whose shop supplied large amounts of iron for the Boston and Lowell Railroad in the 1830s. It meets Criteria B and C.
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 89000614, listed July 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 21 Washington St., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000614 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by Deacon Nathan Brooks Johnson (1792-1871) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a dwelling; condition is described as excellent. The house was moved back from Washington Street in 1887. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.44997, -71.13385 (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 89000614.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6119305
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.