National Register of Historic Places

Common District

Wakefield, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
March 2, 1990
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
89000754

About this property

The Common District encompasses the main civic center of Wakefield, Massachusetts. It is centered on the historic town common, just south of Lake Quannapowitt, which was laid in 1644, when it became the heart of Old Reading. The area was separated from Reading as South Reading in 1818, and renamed Wakefield in 1868. The 25 acre district includes the buildings that line the common on Common Street and Main Street, which include the town hall, public library, YMCA, post office, and several churches. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

Location

Wakefield, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.50733, -71.07329

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Common District

This page lists Common District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

House at 7 Salem Street
Industrial
0.1 mi
Yale Avenue Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
House at 18 Park Street
Industrial
0.2 mi
Meeting House of the Second Parish in Woburn
Industrial
0.2 mi
House at 23 Avon Street
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Lancaster (King Philip's War)
1676Colonial
6.5 mi
Battle of Menotomy
1775Revolutionary War
7.6 mi
Skirmish at Menotomy (Arlington)
1775Revolutionary War
7.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Common District listed on the National Register?

Common District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 2, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Common District?

Common District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Common District?

The period of significance for Common District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Common District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Common District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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Massachusetts history

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