Winn Farm
Why it's listed
Winn Farm is a five-bay Federal-style house at 57 Summer Street in Arlington, Massachusetts, dating from about 1820. Shingle-clad and sitting on a low rise, it is framed by a cut-stone retaining wall, with granite pillars marking steps cut into the slope. A shed stands nearby, and the house has had no major alterations. It is the only example of its type in this section of Northwest Arlington, an area that did not fully develop until the early twentieth century. Albert Winn built and owned the house. He served as president of the Arlington Savings Bank, as a selectman, as a state legislator and as Town Assessor. The property occupies the former site of Captain George Cooke's house. In 1637 Cooke received the first water mill privilege in Cambridge along with twenty acres, which helped draw settlement to the northwest precinct later known as West Cambridge and Arlington. The house was listed for its Federal-period architecture and its retained integrity.
Significance in brief: The house is a good example of a five-bay Federal house and the only one of its type in this part of Northwest Arlington. Its builder, Albert Winn, was a prominent local figure. The site was earlier occupied by Captain George Cooke's house, linked to the first water mill privilege in Cambridge.
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 85001051, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 57 Summer St., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001051 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Albert Winn (builder and owner); architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the form reports no major alterations and says the property has integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.41912, -71.15565 (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 85001051.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8025523
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.