National Register of Historic Places

Yale Avenue Historic District

Wakefield, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
July 5, 1989
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
89000756

About this property

The Yale Avenue Historic District is a residential historic district near the center of Wakefield, Massachusetts. It encompasses eight residential properties, all but one of which were developed in the 1860s and 1870s, after the arrival of the railroad in town. These properties were built primarily for Boston businessmen, and mark the start of Wakefield's transition to a suburb. The district, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989, consists of five houses (16-24) on the south side of Yale Street, and three (21-25) directly opposite on the north side. Five are Italianate in style, one is Second Empire, one is Queen Anne, and the newest house in the district, 22 Yale Avenue, was built c. 1896 in the Colonial Revival Style. All are 2+1⁄2 stories in height, and of wood-frame construction, with clapboards and/or shingles on their exteriors, and most have porches. Although the houses are nominally in one style, most exhibit features that are reminiscent of a different style. The house at 20 Yale Avenue, for instance, follows a somewhat typical Italianate L-shaped plan, but its porch is more elaborately decorated with what might be considered Queen Anne features. The house at 23 Yale Avenue, built c. 1863, marks a shift from the Italianate to the Second Empire with the addition of a mansard-style roof with fish scale shingles. 24 Yale Avenue is one of t Wakefield's few surviving Stick style houses, and 22 Yale Avenue is an early and modest example of the Colonial Revival. Yale Avenue was named after businessman Burrage Yale, Wakefield's largest manufacturer during the earlhy 19th century.

Location

16--25 Yale Ave.
Wakefield, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.50481, -71.07431

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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Everything a full report reveals about Yale Avenue Historic District

This page lists Yale Avenue Historic 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
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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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
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
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

House at 25 Avon Street
Industrial
0 mi
House at 23 Avon Street
Industrial
0.1 mi
House at 21 Chestnut Street
Industrial
0.1 mi
House at 15 Chestnut Street
Industrial
0.1 mi
Flanley's Block
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

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

Questions about this property

When was Yale Avenue Historic District listed on the National Register?

Yale Avenue Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 5, 1989.

What type of historic resource is Yale Avenue Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Yale Avenue Historic District?

The period of significance for Yale Avenue Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Yale Avenue Historic 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 Yale Avenue Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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