BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM A - AREA MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET, BOSTON, MA 02116 AUG 2 1 1989 NATONAL REGISTER IS VV Area Letter G Form numbers in this Area G156-G159 WALTHAM, MA Town Waltham MRA Name of Area (if any) North Lexington Street Historic District Present Use residential - Photos (3"x3" or 3"x5" black & white): Indicate on back of each photo street addresses for buildings shown. Staple to left side of form. General Date or Period 1860-1915 General Condition good Sketch Map. Draw a general map of the irea indicating properties within it. vumber each property for which individual inventory forms have been completed. .abel streets including route numbers, if iny. Indicate north. (Attach a separate iheet if space here is not sufficient). Acreage 3.17acres: 138,322 sa. ft. Recorded byNancv Seasholes Organization Waltham Historical Comm. Date August, 1986 revised by C.
Jenkins 3/88 TM REFERENCE A 19/315750 10|315 800 SGS QUADRANGLE CALE LEXINGTON 1125.000 14195640 14695760 see attached map RESOURCE COUNT BUILDINGS 4C ONC STRUETURES 2C ONC TUTAL bC ONC NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The North Lexington Street Historic District possesses integrity of location, design, setting, naterials, workmanship, feeling and association. It is significant as a small but intact grouping of turn-of-the-century dwellings and outbuildings, most of which were associated with the Childs family and their dairy business. The dairy barn is an especially rare sur- vivor. The houses, although in many cases sided, retain most of their Italianate, Mansard and Colonial Revival features. The district meets criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places.
- ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other areas within the community. The North Lexington Street Historic District is a small but intact grouping of four dwellings and one large dairy barn dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. All are large, çommodious structures designed in a variety of architectural styles including Italianate, Mansard, and Colonial Revival. art e rzetar corner Historically, this area was considered part of Piety Corner (Area F) but because of the number of modern intrusions now separating the two areas, they 'are proposed as two distinct National Register districts. Lexington Street is now a busy north-south thoroughfare and the existence of a cohesive group of turn-of-the-century houses , and outbuildings is very unusual. Individual buildings are described below: The Elias B.
Armstrong House, 508 Lexington Street (1865/c1905; G156), located at the corner of Curve Street (S), is the oldest house in the district. It is a 2} story gable roofed structure with a symmetrical three bay facade. Three-part windows with pedimented heads are HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. Explain historical importance of area and how the area refates to the development of other areas of the community. Historically, the land that now comprises the North Lexington Street Historic District was considered to be part of Piety Corner, the aame given to that part of Waltham in the vicinity of Lexington and Lincoln Streets. Piety Corner was one of Waltham's earliest settlement areas (Area F), and the history of the land encompassed by the district can be traced back - to the 17th century.
Its significance however dates to the late-19th and early 20th centuries when it was developed as an important dairy farm by members of the Childs family. All the houses in the district are on land that was purchased in 1681 by Jonathan Sanderson, Sr., one of the earliest settlers in the Piety Corner area. When Sanderson divided his land among his heirs in the early 18th century, however, the division be- tween the two holdings fell across. what is now this district. The house at 508 Lexington Street is on land that went to Jonathan Sanderson III and was associated with the Sanderson House formerly at the corner of Lexington and Lincoln Streets (see form #150). The houses at 520, 528, and 536 Lexington Street are on land that went to John and then to - Samuel Sanderson and is associated with the Sanderson House at 562 Lexington Street (see - form #160).
(cont) BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Sanderson, Edmund L. The Story of Piety Corner. Typescript. Waltham Public Library. 1929. Piety Corner Club and its Antecedents. History of Piety Corner. WPL. 8/85 WALTHAM, MA MRA INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Community : De l of 2 Form No: Waltham, MA G ProRorth Naexington Street H.D. Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (cont'd) Neither part of the District was built on, however, until the second half of the nineteenth century. In 1865 the lot at the corner of Lincoln and what became Curve Street was acquired by Elias B Armstrong, a blacksmith who had just rented the Sanderson blacksmith shop on Lincoln Street (see 111 Lincoln Street form).
The Armstrongs built the house now at 508 Lexington Street in 1865 and were joined in 1873 by the William G. Childs who built the mansard now at 528 Lexington Street. William G. Childs had started a milk business on Pond Street which he moved to this location; his sons also went into the milk business and built large Colonial Revival houses on either side of their father's: Arthur G. Childs built the house now at 520 Lexington Street in 1901 and William B. Childs constructed the house now at 536 Lexington Street sometime between 1904 and 1907. The most important historical development associated with the North Lexington Street Historic District was the operation of the Childs milk business. The Childs were one of a number of what were known as "milkmen" -- people who supplied milk on a regular route to customers in the city. The Childs dairy was apparently fairly small under William G.
Childs, but, after his death in 1902, it was greatly expanded by his sons, who built a large complex of buildings behind 528 and 536 Lexington, one of which is still standing. Childs Brothers apparently moved part of their operation to Somerville in the 1920s and went out of business in 1929. The southern part of the North Lexington Street Historic District also has historical associations. The house at 508 Lexington Street was the residence of Thomas H. Armstrong, a Boston lawyer and the Waltham City Solicitor from 1885-1888. And the lot now 520 Lexington Street was, from 1892-1897, the location of the tennis courts of the Prospect Tennis Club. This club had been formed in the mid-1880s by a group of men from the Piety Corner area. In the course of its existence, the courts were located at several different Piety Corner residences.
After the Club temporarily disbanded in 1897, the lot was sold to Arthur G. Childs and he built the house now at 520 Lexington Street. Staple to Inventory form at com INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston WALTHAM, MA MRA P. 2 of 2 Conmmity : Waltham Form No: G Property Name: North Lexington Street Historic District Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Architectural Significance (cont) . located in the outer first story bays and in the central second story bay. The entry, with fan and sidelight surround and balustraded porch is a harmonious Colonial Revival style addition. Wide fascia boards and overhanging cornice are remaining Italianate style elements.
All of these features remain intact despite replacement of clapboards with alum- inum siding- The historic character of the property is enhanced by its granite retaining wall and gable roof barn with cupola. The William G. Childs House, 528 Lexington Street (1873; G158)is the second oldest house in the district, and the first to be built by the Childs family. It is a 2} story Mansard style house with a three bay, side entry facade. It retains its original clapboard siding and slate roof. Important features include polygonal bays, pedimented dormer windows, and a verandah wrapping around the facade and north elevations. A former hip roof barn was attached as a rear ell c1902. A granite retaining wall fronts the property. Childs Dairy Barn, 526 Lexington Street (c1910; G158) is a unique survivor of its type in Waltham.
It is a large, almost entirely unaltered structure that rises 2} stories to a gable roof that is crowned with twin cupolas. Its five bay facade features a center entry with glazed sliding doors and an arched gable window. Original clapboard siding is retained. The Arthur G. Childs House, 520 Lexington Street (1901; G157) is a well-preserved, and well- detailed example of the Colonial Revival style. It is a large 2½ story structure enclosed by a hip roof with paired window dormers on each slope. The house is sheathed with clap- boards and trimmed with Corinthian corner pilasters and a dentilated modillion cornice. The asymmetrical facade is dominated by a two story bow window and a Tuscan porch. The William B.
Childs House, 536 Lexington Street (1904-07; G159) is another example of the Colonial Revival style with Shingle Style overtones seen in its gambrel roof with sweeping lean-to profile. The house also features bow windows and a Tuscan verandah with pediment over the entry. Unfortunately aluminum siding has replaced original sheathing which was probably wood shingle. Staple to Inventory form at bottom WOYTAM MA MEA INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : Form No: Toperr Nort Waltham, MA G Name. Lexington street H.D. Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. BIBLIOGRAPHY (cont'd) Waltham News-Tribune, March 13, 1985 Warren, Nathan 1890 Waltham. In History of Middlesex County. Massachusetts. ed. by D. Hamilton Hurd. Vol. 3. Philadelphia: J. W. Lewis & Co.
Middlesex Deeds Staple to Inventory form at bottom Street Address WALTHAM, MA MRA Assessor's # 508 Lexington St. 33-2-42 520 Lexington St. 33-2-31 526 Lexington St. 33-2-29 528 Lexington St. 33-2-30 536 Lexington St. 33-2-28 Square Feet 17,137 25,780 23,430 16,325 55,650 DISTRICT DATA SHEET llistoric Name/Inventory # Elias B. Armstrong House/G156 barn Arthur G. Childs House/G157 Childs Dairy Barn/G158 William G. Childs Hse./G158 William B. Childs Hse./G159 NORTH LEXINGTON STREET HISTORIC DTSTRICT Date Style 1865/1905 Italianate/ Colonial Rev. 1901 Colonial Rev. cl911 Vernacular 1873 Mansard 1904-07 Colonial Rev. Status C/C C C C C TOTAL: 138,322 sq.ft.
or 3.17 acres RESOURCE COUNT: Buildings Structures total 4C 2C 6C ONC ONC ONC 6 resources NPS Form10-900- (8-86) United States Department of the Interlor 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 61. Mount Feaks Cemetery Date/Signature Entered 1n the National Register Arxcopor AuloneByu 9/28/64 Attest So 62. Mt. Prospect School for Boys Reeper Substantive Revie ath. avage 3/9/90 Attest Entered 1n 63. Murray, Robert, House Wationa BeEistoD fReeper AelourByu 9pt/2 Attest Sc/ 64. Newton Street Bridge Substantive Review pKeeper Attest Bo Sage p/e/8. 5. North Lexington street Historic District in the fadopor Aebreßga 1/2/69 National Registen Attest 66.
O'Hara Waltham Dial Company Entered in the frerper Aulrusagenn tpete National Register 67. Olcott, John E., House Intered 1n the Hatlonal Register Keeper AulouByuu 7/4/69 Attest 68. Oxford, The Intered in the National Regiater fraeper LulomBgen 9/2515 Attest Fatered 1a tbe 69. Peck, John M., House National Begister fukeeper Shlmerßyen 2/2814 Attest Suly 10.
Piety Corner Historic District f Keeper BakR Sue 72/90 Subatantive Review Attest UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY North Lexington Street Historic District NAME: MULTIPLE Waltham MRA NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Middlesex DATE RECEIVED: 8/21/89 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 9/21/89 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: DATE OF PENDING LIST: 9/05/89 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 10/05/89 REFERENCE NUMBER: 89001500 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: N OTHER: N PDIL: N PERIOD: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: N REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N COMMENT WAIVER: N ACCEPT RETURN ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: REJECT 2/28/89 Entered in the _DATE National Registen RECOM./CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments y/N see attached SLR X/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 relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA acreage UTMS _verbal boundary description boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION _sketch maps OTHER COMMENTS USGS maps _photographs Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date presentation Waltham MA, MRA N.
lexiuston sto H.D. Area G 520 lexinytmnst. -157 528 kumgtn WALTHAM, MA, MRA #G 158 N.lerng tonist.H.D: Arece STEVEN GYURINA 528 lexing ton st. WACTHAM, MA MIRA #G158 North Lesingten Street - STEVEN GYURINA WALTHAM, MA MRA North Lexington Street Historic District Area G 1" = 100' 1975; updated to 1987 Waltham Engineering Dept. Map #33 89 147.2 165 353.83 32 / 106 238./7 TENNIS 1056/3) E0 cQuF 109.92 8 39 165.32 120 80 SCURVE 4992 100 156.86 4 RD. 79.44 100 1° 1565 CORNER 57.67 28.11 79.44 6 E* 104.41 524. 297.69 1$3.6 160.05(0l 28 G (59 154.09(s) 58 29415 29 526 30 6158 528 26493 (d) 158.5(d) 254(s) 31 80.16 266 61( d 5.1S 256(g) 56.15 160.27 4IA 8. 41 42 36.19 374 -115(s) N* 12 SC 95 4 uitr 12007(05 157 G156 126.67.
513-515- 5156 309 51.57 14.65 30(s) 72(s) 496 113.29 19/ 85.15 490 197.02 ,73.04 113.75(d 08() 159(g) * 126 165(3)- - 46 674- 123.98 173.62 150(3 -562 LEXINGTON 363 561 70(g) I77(d 8T237. 239.89 5-54. $79 58 STAI 102 136/ 043 13 11E 128 330 536 87.c ... 207.8 84 322 215.2 2ESE 233 43 246 240 355 233.31 96- 183 51.57 51.6G 127.28 37.337 460,39 TA 17T8 P/O 138.23 31 4700° 2JA 8659 650 29 15001 15433 31 17920 13080 LINCOLN TERRACE 22 SCURVE 21590 C 19358 37000 1970 Atlas, City of Waltham Compiled by the Waltham Engineering Division Scale: 1 inch = 140 feet + LEXINGTON 46 26630 14,780 526 28 25780 130 24 16325 ST 15678 4 A -2 10585 9940 11306 E D 12000 Waltham, Massachusetts MRA North Lexington Street H.D. 50-A Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000301