Wyeth-Smith House
Why it's listed
Built in 1820, this two-room, center-hall farmhouse at 152 Vassal Lane in Cambridge was erected by Jacob Wyeth as a tenant house on land bought from his father for the Fresh Pond Hotel. It was leased almost immediately to Ebenezer Smith. In 1893 development pressures forced it to be moved from its original site near the junction of Fresh Pond Parkway and Huron Avenue to Vassal Lane. The house is described as the finest early nineteenth century farmhouse of its type surviving in the city. Compact massing, a low-pitched roof and tight eaves express the Federal style, while the Greek Revival doorway comes from a remodelling in the late 1830s. Apart from later artificial siding, the building is described as intact. It is also linked to the Wyeth family, prominent Northwest Cambridge landholders who started the ice industry at Fresh Pond. The house remains in residential use.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the finest early nineteenth century two-room, center-hall farmhouse surviving in Cambridge. It also expresses the essential qualities of the Federal style and is tied to the Wyeth family, prominent Northwest Cambridge landholders who started the Fresh Pond ice industry. The reviewer recommended listing under Criterion C.
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 82001989, listed April 13, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 152 Vassal Lane, Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001989 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by Jacob Wyeth (original owner) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the house has artificial siding (asbestos shingles) but is otherwise described as intact. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.38324, -71.13863 (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 82001989.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8039735
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.