Thompson, Abijah, House
Why it's listed
This one-and-a-half-story clapboard house at 81 Walnut Street in Winchester, Massachusetts, was built between about 1835 and 1850 in the Gothic Revival style. The architect is unknown. A symmetrical three-bay facade centers on a double-leaf paneled entry flanked by full-length French windows. A truncated polygonal bay rises through the roofline and is flanked by steeply pitched gabled wall dormers. A pyramidal-roofed tower rises at the rear, and a one-story Tuscan porch crosses the front; both may be later additions. The house closely resembles period cottages in Newton and is similar to the neighboring house at 85 Walnut Street. Its first known owner, in 1854, was Abijah Thompson (1827-1912), a leather manufacturer active in Winchester civic life. He helped found the town's Masonic Lodge, served as vice-president of the Winchester Historical Society and started a local newspaper. The house is valued for its architecture and as evidence of early residential growth east of the town center.
Significance in brief: It is described as an unusual example of Gothic Revival, with a truncated central tower flanked by steeply pitched gabled wall dormers. It closely resembles period cottages in Newton. It also reflects the first residential development east of Winchester center as the town's population grew rapidly.
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 89000619, listed July 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 81 Walnut St., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000619 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded as in good condition and in use as a dwelling, its original use. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.45106, -71.13814 (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 89000619.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4667737
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.