Symmes, Marshall, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1817 at 230 Main Street in Winchester, this two and one-half story Federal style house has brick ends, a low-pitched gable roof and paired end chimneys. Its five-bay facade has paired outer windows, and the center entrance has a leaded glass fanlight and sidelights, with narrow corner pilasters. Marshall Symmes, a blacksmith with a shop at Main and Bacon Streets, built it when he married Relief Stowell. He was a grandson of a Symmes family line that helped settle Winchester after land was granted to Reverend Zachariah Symmes of Charlestown. Nearby streets carry family names. The house stayed in Symmes family ownership from construction through at least 1977. It is valued locally as a rare brick-ended Federal dwelling and as a link to the town's earliest settlers. It is one of two Federal period houses associated with the family, the other being the Deacon John Symmes House nearby. Alterations include replacement sash and a Colonial Revival porch.
Significance in brief: It is a rare example in Winchester of a brick-ended Federal period dwelling and is well preserved. It is also tied to the Symmes family, whose members were among Winchester's first settlers. It is one of two Federal period houses associated with the family.
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 89000607, listed July 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 230 Main St., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000607 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect anonymous; built by Marshall Symmes |
| 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 described as excellent. A noncontributing garage is on the property. Alterations include replaced sash and a Colonial Revival entrance porch. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.44254, -71.13603 (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 89000607.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6773796
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.