Symmes, Deacon John, House
Why it's listed
This two and one-half story Federal style house at 212-214 Main Street in Winchester was built around 1807 by Deacon John Symmes, when the area still belonged to Medford. It has a low-pitched hip roof, double rear wall chimneys, a five-bay facade, wide corner boards and slightly projecting eaves. A later porch encloses the central entrance, and the eaves balustrade has been removed. Symmes, born in 1781, was the son of a local blacksmith and Revolutionary War veteran. He continued the blacksmith trade and served as a deacon of the Medford Congregational Church. His wife Pamela ran Winchester's first formal school in the house. The Symmes family were among the earliest settlers of the area, receiving a large land grant near Symmes Corner in the 1600s. This is the oldest surviving Symmes family house, and family members owned it until 1926. Its well-preserved Federal character and family associations support its listing under Criteria A and C.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of Winchester's most important and well-preserved Federal period dwellings. It is also tied to the Symmes family, among the town's earliest settlers, and is the oldest surviving Symmes family house. It meets Criteria A 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 89000606, listed July 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 212 Main St. (formerly 212--214 Main St.), Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000606 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Deacon John Symmes (builder); architect anonymous |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a dwelling; condition is listed as excellent. Alterations include a removed eaves balustrade and a later entrance porch, with a non-contributing garage. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.44156, -71.13575 (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 89000606.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5245031
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.