Wade, John, House
Also known as: Pierce Tavern
Why it's listed
Located at the foot of "Marm" Simonds Hill in Medford, this one-and-one-half-story Cape Cod house was built between 1784 and 1794 by John Wade, a tanner. It has a central chimney, a five-bay symmetrical facade, a granite block foundation and white clapboard siding. Pilasters, sidelights and a paneled door reflect Greek Revival updates made around the 1830s and 1840s, possibly under the carpenter Charles Caldwell. A rear ell and a glazed sunporch were added later. Wade worked among a group of tanners and leather dressers along High Street, and his estate sold the property after his death in 1821. Locally the house has been called Pierce Tavern, but property titles show it was never a tavern. It is one of only two eighteenth-century Cape Cod houses left in Medford, and its rocky, sheltered lot keeps topography lost elsewhere to later development.
Significance in brief: It is one of two eighteenth-century Cape Cod houses remaining in Medford. Its deep, rocky lot preserves local topography that twentieth-century development has obscured elsewhere. The house also keeps Greek Revival alterations made in the mid-nineteenth century.
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 75000282, listed June 18, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 253 High St., Medford |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | June 18, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000282 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1784 - 1794 |
| Architect / builder | John Wade (builder, per the data sheet) |
| Architectural style | Georgian with Greek Revival elements; vernacular Cape Cod type |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition, and in use as a private residence; the form describes it as essentially unaltered since its mid-nineteenth-century Greek Revival renovation apart from a rear shed dormer and a terrace door. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.42103, -71.12108 (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 75000282.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6262629
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.