National Register of Historic Places

Wakefield Park

Wakefield, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
March 2, 1990
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
89000755

About this property

Wakefield Park Historic District is a residential historic district encompassing a portion of a late-19th/early-20th century planned development in western Wakefield, Massachusetts. The district encompasses sixteen properties on 8 acres (3.2 ha) of land out of the approximately 100 acres (40 ha) that comprised the original development. Most of the properties in the district are on Park Avenue, with a few located on immediately adjacent streets. The Wakefield Park development was laid out 1888 by J. S. Merrill, a local developer, on land southwest of the town center that had been used as farmland until the 1850s. Merrill developed some of the properties himself, and instituted deed restrictions on the sale of lots to ensure that the area would contain only high quality upper-middle-class homes. In the 1890s, when development in the area was at its peak, Merrill partnered with Charles Hanks, who successfully marketed the development as a healthy "garden suburb" alternative to city living. Architecturally, the houses that were built exhibited a variety of styles popular around the turn of the 20th century, often mixing architectural elements from different styles. One example of this eclecticism is the house at 8 Park Avenue: built c. 1900, it is a 2+1⁄2-story wood-frame house with a steeply pitched Colonial Revival-style roof, but with an entrance that is stylistically Craftsman/Bungalow. Its corner tower is typical of Queen Anne Victorians. A number of houses, including thouse at 2 and 4 Park, combine Shingle and Colonial Revival styles, while 24 Park is a more typical Queen Anne Victorian. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

Location

Wakefield, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.50090, -71.08534

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTARCHITECTURE
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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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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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
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Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

House at 39 Converse Street
Industrial
0.1 mi
House at 6 Adams Street
Industrial
0.1 mi
Warren, H. M., School
Industrial
0.1 mi
House at 1 Morrison Avenue
Industrial
0.1 mi
House at 95 Chestnut Street
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Lancaster (King Philip's War)
1676Colonial
5.7 mi
Battle of Menotomy
1775Revolutionary War
6.9 mi
Skirmish at Menotomy (Arlington)
1775Revolutionary War
7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Wakefield Park listed on the National Register?

Wakefield Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 2, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Wakefield Park?

Wakefield Park is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Wakefield Park?

The period of significance for Wakefield Park is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Wakefield Park?

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