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 Photo (3"x 3" or 3"x5" , black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. Staple to left side of form. AREA AUG 2 1 1989 FORM NO. 4-5 NATIONAL REGISTTown WALTHAM, MA MRA Waltham, Massachusetts Address 58 Chestnut Street Historic Name Royal E. Robbins School Use Present Arthur J. Clark Community Workshop Original school DESCRIPTION Date 1901 Source Waltham City Documents 1900 - Style. Georgian Revival Architect possibly Samuel Patch Exterior Wall Fabric_ brick Outbuildings none : : : 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 Major Alterations (with dates) _ _brick stairwell added (n.d.) and replace- ment sash (n.d.) - originally 6/2 Condition good Moved no Date n/a 0.52 Acreage 22,610 sq.ft. 69-16-16 . Setting _ Densely settled residential area of mid-late 19th c. houses. UIM REFERENCE 19/315630/4692950 USGS QUADRANGLE NEWTON SCALE 1:25,000 Recorded by Edward W. Gordon Organization Waltham Historical Comm Date June, 1986 revised by C. Jenkins 3/88 : NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The Royal E. Robbins School possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and associations. It remains as an important component of Waltham's turn-of-the-century building campaign, and also provides a strong reflection of the rapid growth of the South Side in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Fittingly, the Suuth ide n tne - it was named for a man involved in the founding of the Waltham Watch Company, and its treasurer for 45 years. It is also a solid and well executed example of a period school with few alterations. The Robbins School meets criteria A and C of the National Regis- ter of Historic Places. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. The Royal E. Robbins School, 58 Chestnut Street, is located on Waltham's South Side, in a residential area of mid-late 19th century houses. Rec- tangular in plan, this school represents a restrained foray into the Georgian Revival Style. Constructed of brick with limestone trim, all of this building's walls are formally finished. The main facade is treated as a recessed 3-bay segment flanked by projecting wings.
Particularly noteworthy are the main entrance's enframements. Here, modern replacement doors are situated within a recessed area, reached via a low flight of granite steps. This recessed area is enframed by well-crafted mouldings, and is surmounted by an entablature wnich reads: "Arthur J. Clark Workshop" Above the entablature is a dentil course and cornice-headed lintel. The front doors are surmounted by an 8-pane transom. The basement features a broad, (cont) HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or history and how the building relates to the development of the conmunity. The Royal E. Robbins School was built in 1901. It was named for Royal Elisha Robbins, who for 45 years was treasurer of the American Waltham Watch Companyand senior member of the firm of Robbins and Appleton, distributing agents for the company.
He was "essentially one of thé fathers of American watch making, and the people of Waltham recognized that, to hin more than to any other man, the success of the city is attributable." He was born in Rensington, a parish of Berlin, Connecticut, on March 10, 1824. During the mid-1840's, after several years in England, he started a business in New York City as an importer of English watches. In May of 1857, he went to Waltham Massachusetts in the interest of Tracy and. Baker of Philidelphia, manufacturers of watch cases. At that time the Boston Watch Company (predecessor to the American Waltham Watch Co.) was in financial ruin. Tracey, Baker and Robbins purchased the Boston Watch Company, and henceforth Royal E. Robbins played a major role in the affairs of the new company - The American Waltham Watch Company.
He died at his country home at Pride's Crossing, Massachusetts, on July 22, 1902. In addition to the school at 58 Chestnut, a park across the street from the American Waltham Watch factory was named in honor of Royal E. Robbins(now a parking (cont) BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Waltham City Documents: 1900, 1901, 1902 Abbot, Henry G., "A Pioneer History of the American Waltham Watch Company of Waltham, Massachusetts" , reprinted from the History of the Watch Factories of America, American Jeweler Print, 1905. 8/85 . #45 WALINAM, MA TIKA Royal E. Robbins School #45 58 Chestnut Street ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE, Royal Robin School, continued limestone watertable. Between floors 1 and 2, are continuous, narrow, courses of brickwork dentils and limestone. The third floor features rusticated brickwork. In general, windows feature modern replacement treatments.
building is crowned by a low hip roof, with a pair of tall chimneys projecting from near the center. HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE, 58 Chestnut Street, continued The story of the Royal E. Robbins School begins on July 28th, 1900, when an order appropriating $30,000.00 for a new primary school was approved. Sketches were hastily selected and working drawings completed of a six room building. By 1901, a school building containing 8 rooms (called the Royal E. Robbins School) was completed. By 1902, it was noted that "since early in September this building has been complete.
Even yet the heating plant has not been entirely adjusted; but it is hoped now that soon it will be put in condition to give entire satisfaction." In recent years it has been used to house "special classes of ungraded children on the elementary level." Its six rooms are about 22' x 30', and have window sills four feet from the floor. During the 1960's, a branch of the Waltham Public Library was located in this building. INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston WALTHAM, MA MRA Commmity : WALTHAM, MA. Form No: 45 Property Name: Ruyal E. Robbins School Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Royal Elisha Robbins.
Treasurer and General Manager of the Mmerian wateh Co-1857-1902 Staple to Inventory form at bottom (uPS Fomm 10.800a United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 AUG 2 | 1989 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Waltham MRA Middlesex County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 71. Potter--0'Brien House 72. Prospect House 73. Robbins, Royal E., School Date/Signature Entered in the Eentorad l eiotor fkeopor Alulore Byun 9potb4 Attest_ Entered 1n tha Natlonai Registen Leeper LulmusBgan9/2444 Attest atered in the /Keeper National Register Stilerßgu 9/265 Attest 74. Sanderson, John, House Entered 1n tba National Rugister /Keeper AlelveaByen 9/25/89 Attest 75. Sanderson, Nathan, I, House intered in the /Keeper sational Registes Stelrusßza 2/25/59 Attest 76.
Sanderson, Nathan, II, Housentered 1n tha Nationad Registof Keeper AlilmuByen 9/25/5 Attest /Keeper SteresBzun 2/25/9 77. Sanderson--Clark Farmhouseentered in the National Register Entered 1n tbg 78. Smith, Marshall, House National Register 79. Smith, Perez, House intered in the National Register 80. St.
Charles Borromeo Church Entered in thu Natiorad Regiataz Attest heeper AlelrreaByu 9/28/84 Attest hsoper AllmustByu 9/28/44 Attest Ixeoper Sllinegbge 4/24/82 Attest_ INITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIO NATIONAL PARK SERVIC NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Robbins, Royal E., School NAME: MULTIPLE Waltham MRA NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Middlesex DATE RECEIVED: 3/21/8 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 9/21/8 DATEOF AEHDALTS1005 10/05/89 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 89001496 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: N N PDIL: PERIOD: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: N REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N COMMENT WAIVER: N VACCEPT _RETURN REJECT Batered 1n the ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: RECOM.
/CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments ./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 Rabucres vrhooL WALTHAM HUtSOC.
Rebbins Rayal E, Scked 58 Chutnut st Mt #45 waltham, Ms MRA ARTLUR & CLARI Rubhins Reyal Fe, Schedl 58 chutnet st MHC# 45 waltham. MA MRA - STEVEN GYURINA 58 chetnutst Rosal E.Robbens school MHC # 45 waltham -MA MRA STEVEN GYURINA ARTHUR J. CLARK WORKSHOP 58 chutnut st Royal E.Robbins schoo/ Ma # 45 wal tham, Ma. MRA STEVEN GYURINA ( CT 77040 4536 13809 10273 HI BUCE -36 21-29 48 37 ST. 15 7000 23 1630 D14395 15800 20954 10900 10051 296/3 10198 8660 6 S5-57 SJ.
5600 13567 19230 22610 Robbin+ school 10910 468 6600 8 4850 JA 5589 12000 100 61 13 7026 D 16 CHESTNUT 313 30 315 341 337 331 329 ~ 361 313 371 MOODY 413 350 1970 Atlas, City of walthamy Compiled by the walthay Engineering Division Scale: 1inch = 140 Feet 10 6 1 /W3 GORPOR 2370 6i7s 23800 SeaO 135/9 7R23 8235 ON NT 5250 268 TAYLOBm Z0.2I 3630 10232 11335 627) 4:00 700 L° z CUSHING321 23-25 11834 4590 11000 -10850 8 50= 475 N 106 - H10 29-3 39 8120 Olseca 0og 13500 7 2150 6715- 29 15 33353739 5500 60090 32490 116-148 WaltaM. MA , MRA 5g chestnut st RoyalE.
Robbins Schoo/ 4-F-10 MItC#45 350 102-76 3 321 50 1389 397388 62.5, 38.18 89 84 5,0-340 726 560 72.6 31 29.331 38 55 18.56 25 4 75.01 5 60 6 2 90.04 59157 157V2 17 183 157 (3) * 16 City of WalthamE Reyal Robbins Schoot 99-339 35.34|37.42 8 72.84 145(s] JPRIVAT,E) 23-78 ** City of 71.59 183-374 /Waltham 79.8 79.15 4.79 104 461 47 59.5 4 78.26 15620 in 42 15 in 44 6 (5 4(e) -68 59-6t- 42.83 | 32.17 7 77. L565 71.5KJ 64 71(3) 6355 9 City of Waltham 8 59.5 55.71 8 62 535 31 44 53.5 76.67 30 485 82.7 7557 73(s) 21 20 13 6/ 64-66 MAPLE 51-63 713 141(5 i55(d) 150.05 17 10(s Beth Eden Bapfist Church 94.5 69.5 6/ 67.2 6Z 50 73 50 18 ST. 75 - 16- 09 82 81-95 75 64.3 86-88. 87 37 -39 38 26-300 8 19 75 7807 50 13/5|316 |317|318 |319 50 1349|348 347,346 75 1417 A 83 8 34 59. 75 1 6 15 50 CHERRY 67 69 74___ T8. 57.5 57.5 70 14 13 84.86 S7 ST.
124.41 T016I 9408 408-389 133 411-405 -33 750.67 29-91 29-78 83-11 12 7955 423.-413 78 83-11 89.8 7825 8S-11 P98 78.25 437.427 75 66 66 82 305 82.5 82.5 66 T30 66 36.25 84. 12 84.25 130 455-443 -467-457 MOODY 456-442 470:458 82.99 58 (0) 10.11 -469 489 -484=474 95.2 122.31 7E97 14 2091 45 0/026 100 Wheeler Square 00,97 Ax 103 WALTHAM, MA MRA -City! Royal E. Robbins School 58 Chestnut Street 1" = 100' 1975; updated to 1987 1ot #69-16-16 12 Imm Bai Cl 122 33S. 19 100 41 -404-398 51.58 412-406 $0.601 424:415-414 78.83 67.73 98-751 70 4-16 15-+7 46 102.5 112.5 18 102.79 224059 51.23 102 46 50.493 71 86.43 LS 47.38 67 98R.
98-41 50.5 6-432 76.51 50.05 15 76.49 56 5018: 28.25 14 50.5 94 91.93 71 2 -31.17 0-4H 89 78 12 11 39 32 98 100 99R - 99-01 87 .86 85 56 67.15 1227 CHESTNU 84.45 87 108.0i 83,4- 66.2 1227 4 7.908 66.2 5319 10 IN* 12217 205() L504 -20 #45 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000301