Trowbridge-Badger House
Why it's listed
Built around 1886 at 12 Prospect Street in Winchester, Massachusetts, this clapboard house combines Queen Anne massing with Colonial Revival detailing. It is a two-and-a-half-story building under a gable roof, with an asymmetrical facade of two boldly scaled gables. One gable projects over a large glazed elliptical bay and holds a Palladian window; the other shows stickwork and decorative shingling. The entry is framed by slender, fluted, engaged Corinthian columns, leaded glass sidelights and a paneled door, and a verandah with paired Tuscan columns wraps the western half of the facade. A stone wall lined drive, with an ornate lighting fixture resembling a miniature street lamp, leads to a carriage house with a conical-roofed fieldstone bow. The house was listed for its architecture, as a well-preserved and unusual example of its style. Its first owner was Joseph S. Trowbridge; a later owner named Badger may have been Daniel B. Badger, who served on town committees around 1900. Little else is recorded of its history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent and somewhat unusual example of the Queen Anne style with Colonial Revival overtones. Its twin gabled facade, elliptical bay, Palladian window, ornate chimney and Tuscan verandah are cited as fine features. It meets criterion C for architecture. Little is known of its history beyond its first owner, Joseph S. Trowbridge, and a later owner named Badger.
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 89000647, listed July 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 12 Prospect St., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000647 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne/Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition and currently used as a dwelling; not moved. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.44720, -71.13278 (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 89000647.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7846672
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.