Winn, Suell, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1813-1814 at 72-74 Elm Street in Wakefield, this clapboard Federal style house was erected for Major Suell Winn, a local farmer known for his industry and honesty. It rises two and a half stories under a gable roof and has two interior chimneys, an advanced feature at a time when many Wakefield houses had a single central chimney. The boxed cornice omits returns at the gable ends, following a local pattern, and the paired outer second-floor windows were customary. The most elegant feature is the architrave door surround with an oval fanlight and narrow half-length sidelights. Inside are seven fireplaces, four brick ovens and murals by Rufus Porter. Winn's farm was divided by the railroad in 1844, and he died in 1851 at a nearby crossing. The Purrington family later owned the property for about 136 years, with only two families as owners. It was judged locally significant as one of the town's finest Federal houses, with good integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the finest Federal style houses in Wakefield, and in several respects more stylistically advanced than its contemporaries. It has two interior chimneys when most local houses had one, and an architrave door surround with an oval fanlight and half-length sidelights. It is also linked to Major Winn and to murals in a front room by Rufus Porter.
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 89000743, listed July 6, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 72--74 Elm St., Wakefield |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | July 6, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000743 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Built by Major Suell Winn (architect listed as NA) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as good; present use is dwelling, with a major addition on the west side. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.50599, -71.07953 (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 89000743.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7634376
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.