First Unitarian Church
National Register of Historic Places

First Unitarian Church

Stoneham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
April 12, 1984
Type
Building
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
84002612

About this property

The First Unitarian Church is a historic former church building in Stoneham, Massachusetts. One of Stoneham's more stylish Gothic Revival buildings, the Stick style wood structure was built in 1869 for a Unitarian congregation that was organized in 1858. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, and included in the Central Square Historic District in 1990. It presently houses the local Community Access Television organization. The First Unitarian Church building is set at the northeast corner of Common and Central Streets on the north side of downtown Stoneham. Across Central Street stand two other churches. This one is a single-story wood-frame structure, its exterior finished in wooden clapboards. The building originally had a number of architecturally significant Stick style features, but many of these have been lost recently. The gable end facing Central Street, and the gabled hood sheltering the entrance, both had stick style diagonal and vertical boardwork. The tower originally sported an elaborate open belfry, with an octagonal steeple above. Four sides of the steeple had dormers in which there were clock faces. The Unitarian congregation in Stoneham was organized in 1858, and this church was built for it in 1869. The congregation occupied this building until it disbanded in 1995. The building is now used by Stoneham TV, a local Community Access Television station. National Register of Historic Places listings in Stoneham, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places listings in Middlesex County, Massachusetts The historical records of the First Unitarian Church in Stoneham are in the Andover-Harvard Theological Library at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Location

Stoneham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.48125, -71.09817

Categories

ARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about First Unitarian Church

This page lists First Unitarian Church. 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.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your First Unitarian Church report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Farrier, Amasa, House
Industrial
0 mi
Foster, Walter K., House
Industrial
0 mi
Dean, Silas, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Turnbull, R.P., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Oddfellows Building
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Lancaster (King Philip's War)
1676Colonial
4.5 mi
Battle of Menotomy
1775Revolutionary War
5.4 mi
Skirmish at Menotomy (Arlington)
1775Revolutionary War
5.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was First Unitarian Church listed on the National Register?

First Unitarian Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 12, 1984.

What type of historic resource is First Unitarian Church?

First Unitarian Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for First Unitarian Church?

The period of significance for First Unitarian Church is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near First Unitarian Church?

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 First Unitarian Church will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Middlesex County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Middlesex County.

Explore MiddlesexCounty ›

More historic places in Massachusetts

Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.

View Massachusettshistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Massachusetts history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Massachusettshistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near First Unitarian Church will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report