Almshouse (Stoneham, Massachusetts)

The Almshouse is a historic almshouse in Stoneham, Massachusetts. Built in 1852, it is one of the few surviving buildings of this type in the Greater Boston area. It is now part of the Stoneham Senior Center, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.[1]

Almshouse
Location136 Elm St.,
Stoneham, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°29′30″N 71°5′17″W
Area2 acres (0.81 ha)
Built1852 (1852)
Architectural styleGreek Revival
MPSStoneham MRA
NRHP reference No.84002464[1]
Added to NRHPApril 13, 1984

Description and history

The former Stoneham Almshouse is located in eastern Stoneham, near the town line with Wakefield on the north side of Elm Street. It is a ​2 1⁄2-story wood-frame structure, with a gabled roof, clapboarded exterior, and granite foundation. It basically a functional vernacular structure, with minimal Greek Revival styling found in the main entrance surround. The interior follows a relatively retardaire (out-of-date for the period) central hall plan. The original building has been encrusted with additions to the sides and rear.[2]

The almshouse was built in 1852 to provide facilities for the town's indigent adult population. It was the town's second such facility, and is now one of the few in the region to survive. Its original 17-acre (6.9 ha) lot has been reduce to just two by subdivision and development, but it retains its original long entry drive. It served for a time in the 20th century as a nursing home,[2] and now houses the town's senior center.

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. "NRHP nomination for Almshouse". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-01-22.
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