BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 AUG 2 1 1989 NATIONAL REGISFORn Address Historic Name WALInAI, MA AREA FORM NO. 26 Waltham, Massachusetts 4 Adams Street "The Oxford" 1483 Photo (3"x 3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. Staple to left side of forn. Use Present multi-family Original multi-family DESCRIPTION Date 1897 Source Water Department Style Colonial Revival Architect. UNKNOWH Exterior Wall Fabric Outbuildings Sketch Map: Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection(s). Indicate north clapboards Major Alterations (with dates) nome Condition good Moved no- Date n/a- Acreage 9,000 se.t. 074. 69-12-2 Setting Prominently sited at Spruce St./Adams St.
intersection facing small, rectangular landscaped area. UTM REFERENCE -19/315620/4693190. USGS QUADRANGLE Nerten Guadrerole SCALE 1:25000 Recorded by. Organization Edward W. Gordon Waltham Hist. Comm. Date June, 1986 revised by C. Jenkins 3/88 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Oxford possesses integrity of location,design, materials, workmanship, feeling and associations. It is significant as a link with the South Side's last intensive (multi- It is also a rare, well-detailed and well-preserved ex- ample of a Colonial Revival style double triple-decker. The Oxford meets criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and : evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community.
Although Waltham possesses very few examples of three-decker housing, the Oxford is as fine an example of Colonial Revival three-decker housing as can be found anywhere in the Boston area. Particularly noteworthy is its form, high quality craftsmanship and rich exterior detailing. This 6-family house rises 3 floors from a boulder-stone foundation to a flat roof with elaborate dentillated and modillion blocked cornice. The cornice entablature features raised swag-work ornamentation (plaster?) at the entablature. This house retains its clapboards. Its edges are accented by narrow boards. This house is very deep, with 8-bay side walls. The main facade is dominated by a pair of bow-fronts which flank an entrance-bay with a handsome projecting Tuscan-columned front porch.
Still intact are the original entrance enframements and front door with a segmental (cont) HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. Built in 1897, the Oxford provides a physical link with the South Side's final turn-of-the-century phase of intensive residential development. By the late 1890's , the American Watch Company was embarking on what would be a final plant expansion campaign (ca. 1890's - 1910). Profitable new enterprises such as O'Hara Watch Dial were being established and substantial brick masonry blocks were being built along Moody Street. Wooley's house lot which contained a I-shaped house and stable (neither structures are extant). . During the late 19th century, the Wooley house was operated as a boarding house.
On April 30, 1892, Charles Wooley sold the Oxford's house lot to Melvin M. Johnson, who in turn sold it to Frank A. Foster io oinon, ,1 in February, 1893. Ivyane Foster, in turn sold The Oxford's lot to Eugene H. Smith in 1894 (3832:181). Water Department record indicate that The Oxford was completed in 1897. The house remained in the Eugene H. Smith family until at least the early 1920's. Waltham Directories do not provide information on Smith's occupation. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Mlaps/Atlases 18/4, 1881, 1883, 1880, 1898, 1900, 1911, 1923 Waltham/Watertown Directories, 1890's, early 1900's Middlesex Deeds, 2176:110, 3832:181, 3954:506 8/85 WALTHAM, MA MRA The Oxford #26 4 Adams Street ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE, The Oxford, continued -headed moulding. The front door is flanked by sidelights, and is surmounted by a transom exhibiting bold gold-lettering which reads "The Oxford".
Above the front porch is a tripartite window, with cornice-headed and swag-motif A Palladian window appears at the entrance bay's third Running above the first floor windows is a continuous swag ornamental entablature exhibiting the ubiquitous (on this house) swag motif. Standard size, simply-enframed windows appear on the third floor. In general, this house's windows contain 2/2 wood sash. The Oxford is presently painted an attractive buff-brown, with chocolate-brown trim. Situated at the corner of the northern terminus of Adams Street (and the residential part of Crescent Street), this house provides an attractive, well-detailed introduction to "the Watch" neighborhood's exceptional collection of mid-19th century residences.
A HTOXFORD: 1898- (NPS Form 10800a United States Department of the Interlor National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page OMB Approvel No. 10240018 AUG 2 1 1989 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Waltham MRA Middlesex County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review Date/Signature Entered in the 61. Mount Feaks Cemetery Hational Begister fexeopor AulmeByun 9/25/09 Attest 5t 62. Mt. Prospect School for Boys Substantive Revie ffkeeper Attest Barf Sawage 3/19/90 Entered 1n 63. Murray, Robert, House Hational Begisten fReéper Aeloue Begun 9p5/02 Attest Newton Street Bridge Substanttve Revie" flkeeper Attest BcH Sauge P/e/8 65. Norch Lexington street Higtert Deserset fartoper HebenByan 1/2/84 in the Mational Begistes Attest 66. O'Hara Waltham Dial Company Entered in the juepor HulrucBgun apales National Register Attest 67.
Olcott, John E., House Intered 1n the National Register ieeper Aulous Byen 9/4189 Attest 68. Oxford, The Sntered 1n the National Reglater fkeeper AliloeOgun 9/25159 Attest Eatered 1a the 69. Peck, John M., House National Begistar fikeeper AtelmerByen 9/25/85 Attest Sely 10. Piety Corner Historic District fo Keeper.
Subatantive Review Bok Sae 79/40 Attest / UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Oxford, The NAME: MULTIPLE Waltham MRA NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Middlesex DATE RECEIVED: 8/21/89 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 9/21/89 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 9/05/89 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 10/05/89 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 89001483 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: COMMENT WAIVER: N VACCEPT RETURN ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N _REJECT Entered in the 2/28/89 DATE Sstooa Metiore RECOM./CRITERIA_ REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N CLASSIFICATION count _resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION FUNCTION historic current DESCRIPTION architectural classification materials descriptive text SIGNIFICANCE Period Areas of Significance--Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage UTMS verbal boundary description boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps USGS maps photographs presentation OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date Ox.
MIC#ZG 4 Adams st. WALTHAM, MAMRA Oxford, The MHC#26 4 Adams St. waltham, ut Mrt WALTHAM, MA MRA "The Oxford" 4 Adams Street #26 1" = 100' 1975; updated to 1987 Waltham Engineering Dept. lot #69-12-2 E 670,000 147.3 120(s) 93,08(d) 49 720 Commor.wealfh of (Massochusetts P/O 90-2-26: iV' CHAFLES- 36.7 69.05 4 63 2 CRESCENT 199.79 65.81 154.5 70 8 108 55 5g - 33 7 16 2 1839 120 3 2-700 120 31-29 1+5.rg 5345 54 33 7763 478% 122 2 a66l 7 34 3220 50 10-113 6 55.51 ST.
6 12i.85 BT9Z 78.33 4 55.025 40 4019 - 0.57 .5z-55 67.75 2 City of Waltham O4-201 62.48 84 6-164 : 6-164 21-95 84 20 63 36 71 8-164 - City of Weltham 105(s) 19 8 -45R 71 N 7H(s) 32s) 97 2 78 SPRUCE 23-25-27-2900 82.75 55 A 74 100 I11 m * 4 7033 60 20 153 Loyal Order of 85 675 6753 Moose Lodge 1018 100 50/62 98-317 204 4579 17.3 935 78.57 N Waltr 13 80.0 min 2/9|18 48.80 50 17 16 33(g) 68(s) * 14 City of Waithomay 9025 65 62(: 642 LO 13 65 67 68 153.01 70 -28-30- 50_ 27. 39 31 93.5 34 85 12 /65 .WA!"- 48R-48 N 13600 CHARLES 6/22 16200 1100 CRESCENT 5050 6000 C 16388 5250 12000 103-101 13200 7623 3725 6,00 8283 1970 Atlas, City of walthamy Compiled by the waltham Engineering Division scale : lmch = 140 Feet 1548öx B UCE ST. 1630 399 770+0 23 15800 20954 7389 waltham, MA.
MRt Adams "TAduus st 4- 3 -5 ,*MItC 26 6699 NE 10900 10051 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000301