National Register of Historic Places

House at 20 Lawrence Street

Wakefield, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
July 5, 1989
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
89000680

About this property

The House at 20 Lawrence Street in Wakefield, Massachusetts is a complex residential structure with elements of Queen Anne, Stick style, and Colonial Revival style. Built about 1880, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Lawrence Street is located north of downtown Wakefield, extending east from Main Street toward Vernon Street at the southern end of Lake Quannapowitt. This house stands on the south side of the westernmost block. It is a 2+1⁄2-story wood frames structure, with an L plan, cross-gabled roof, and exterior finished in a combination of wooden clapboards and decorative cut shingles. Portions of the exterior have applied Stick style decorative woodwork. The wraparound porch, Colonial Revival in style, has been partially enclosed. The main gable is filled with two-slope wooden shingles, a common feature of area 1880s houses. Lawrence Street was laid out in 1857, but was not platted for development until 1874, a boom period of development in Wakefield. James Emerson, owner of one of the city's largest shoe factories, partnered with another businessman to build out the street's lots. Emerson's family homestead (now demolished) stood at the corner of Lawrence and Main Streets, as did its first shoe factory. This house was probably built about 1879 or 1880 by Edwin Miller, the son of Henry F. Miller, a local piano manufacturer. The younger Miller continued in his father's business, and was active in local politics, serving in the state legislature for one term. National Register of Historic Places listings in Wakefield, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places listings in Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Location

20 Lawrence St.
Wakefield, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.51005, -71.06932

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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Nearby Historic Sites

House at 15 Lawrence Avenue
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0 mi
House at 23 Lawrence Street
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0.1 mi
House at 15 Wave Avenue
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0.1 mi
Emerson-Franklin Poole House
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0.1 mi
House at 11 Wave Avenue
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0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Lancaster (King Philip's War)
1676Colonial
6.7 mi
Battle of Menotomy
1775Revolutionary War
7.9 mi
Skirmish at Menotomy (Arlington)
1775Revolutionary War
7.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was House at 20 Lawrence Street listed on the National Register?

House at 20 Lawrence Street was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 5, 1989.

What type of historic resource is House at 20 Lawrence Street?

House at 20 Lawrence Street is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for House at 20 Lawrence Street?

The period of significance for House at 20 Lawrence Street is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near House at 20 Lawrence Street?

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