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 15as AUG 2 1 1989' NATIONAL REGISTER Town AREA FORM NO. 163 MRA WALTHAM, MA Waltham Address 56 Whittier Street Historic Name Benjamin Wellington House Photo (3"x 3" or 3"x5" , black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. Staple to left side of form. Use Present residential Original residential DESCRIPTION Date c. 1810 Source Elizabeth Castner, Archivist, Waltham Public Library Federal Style . Architect. _- unknown Exterior Wall Fabric shingle, 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) at least one later ell -late, 19th cuntur Condition - good Moved - no Date -n/a. - - Acreage D.85/ Acre:37,100 sq. ft. 7-15-3 Setting On hillock surrounded by modern residential development. UTM REFERENCE 19/315530/4697B90 USGS QUADRANGLELEXINGTON SCALE 1:25,000 -Recorded by Edward W. Gordon Organization Waltham Historical Comr Date June, 1986 revised C. Jenkins 2/88 - NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) 56 Whittier Avenue represents the nucleus of an early 19th c. Trapelo Road It is one of the city's very few "brickender" Federal houses. It has significant historical associations with the Wellingtons, a family that figured prominently in the annals of 18th and 19th c. Waltham history.
The Benjamin Wellingion House possesses integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, feeling and strong associations with Waltham's agricultural history. It 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. 56 Whittier Avenue is part of Waltham's small, but choice, collection of "brickender" Federal houses. This is a relatively substantial house with a commodious 5-bay x 3-bay main block. This is the only "brickender" in Waltham with twin-linked chimneys at each end. Encircling the south and east sides of the house is a handsome, fluted Tuscan-columned porch with slatwork railings. In general, windowsare simply and fully enframed, with 2/1 wood replacement sash.
Projecting from the northeast corner is a 2-story ell with gable roof - 21, witn plble 2008 evidently this is a late 19th century addition. Projecting from the northwest corner of the house is a modern, 2-story addition. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. The Benjamin Wellington Farm is the most westerly of the old estates of Trapelo. Prior to 1760, its land belonged to Waltham's Fiske family. According to Edmund L. Sanderson, William Fiske Jr. "began buying land in 1729 when he was almost 25 years old, and when he married Mary Sanderson in November 1733, he owned at least 38 acres bordering on the Lexington line and the meadows north and northwest of the Great Pond. His house, probably built about than time, was on the north side of Trapelo Rd." William Fiske Jr.
died in 1760. His 100 acre estate passed to his daughter who had married Nathaniel Bridges. In 1762, the Bridges sold this land to Deacon Isaac Stern. From him the title passed to his grandson Phineas and to his great granddaughter Mary, wife of Benjamin Wellington. This farm remained in the Wellinton family until the early 20th century - by that time Robert McAdoo operated a dairy farm here After World War II, the land was subdivided for suburban tract development. Note: Wellingtons settled along Trapelo Road as early as the late 17th century - Joseph Wellinton built a house on the south side of Trapelo Road near the northeast corner of the land now owned by the Walter E. Fernald State School. It was built on 4 acres that he bought there in 1670.
BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Maps: 1830, 1854 Atlases: 1875, 1886, 1911, 1915, 1923 Waltham Directories 1915, 1930, 1939 Sanderson, Edmund L. Waltham: 1630-1884, Waltham Historical Society Archives, 1936 8/85 "repsrom 10000 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 91. Waltham Gas and Electric Company Generating Plant Entered in the National Register 92. Waltham High School Entered 1n National Repister Date/Signature FReeper Aebnepyen 9/2965 Attest_ fakeeperAulouBizeu 9/20/9 Attest 93. Waltham Water Works Shop JoReeper Aeluejen 9/28/84 Attest Set 94. Warren, Nathan, House Subataatiye Hovio folkeeper Betfk Sarge 3/9/90 Attest 95.
Wellington, Benjamin, House Entered in the National Register fKeeper Ailrerzas 9/25/59 Attest 96. Wellington, William, House Entered in tbe National Ragister foxeepor@elauSye.9/25184 Attest 97. Wellington--Castner House fotaeper Selouyen 9/464 Attest 98. Wetherbee House Entered in the National Begister fokeoper ShelouByu9/2514 Attest 99. White, Warren, House Entered in the Natlonal Register foscopor AlebrerByen 9/2414 Attest 100.
Whitney--Farrington--Cook House farkeoperAeloubgun 9/24/69 Attest C.a?1: Jüinsu krislaz UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Wellington, Benjamin, House 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: 89001523 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: OPPER N POTA PROBLEM: N CANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 VEARS:N PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: N REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: COMMENT WAIVER: N LACCEPT RETURN REJECT 9/28/99 DATE Entered in the Matlonal Register ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: 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 OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone presentation Signed Date Waltham MA MRA 56 Whittier St.
#163 wellingtn, Berjemin, Hese - C STEVEN GYURINA Waltham MA MKA 56 WhiHter St. #163 Wrellingtn, Berenin, Hase VNNDAD MGARIS O STREET 93.50 307 332 9460 1S I0S s0G 36 10 13530 363- 362 17 9020 9350 305 334 9460 91 10 356 14 STREET 9020 361 16 9022 9020 360 15 9058 11 906 309 335 10700 12 12 11,200 359 14A 10100 14 1293 TRAPELO 100 SCALE 200 1970 Atlas, City of Waltham Compiled by the Waltham Engineering Division Scale: 1 inch = 140 feet 55 76 33 ST. 4 9800 .12 399 9870 9940 400 9840 9840 4/0 401 9840 53 BREWSTER 10 A 15257 37100 Prt.C 60 BANBURY 10 1253 RD. AVE. WHITTIER 9248 12 1247 300 400 B-PRT. 44140 12 10107 9870 1273 1263 RD. VALE Waltham, Massachusetts MRA 56 Whittier Avenue Benjamin Wellington House 61-L-11 MHC 163 333 L0s. 86 334 7.9 9 D105.91 335 14 213 63 93 12 86 86 73.23 700 9 82 10 88./4 338 84 82 356 337 82 357 336 95.84 358 Al1O 14 13 2 -09.- 36 88 63 93.
26 BANBURY 90 82 82 "IVATE) 63.16 90 -12 82 67.85 12 llo 34.17 67.28 90 360 82 15 96 33 4A 20.72 110.08 85 110.85 5 91.62 .107.94 134 82 120= 66.46 29.87 124.3 64.86 1279 13 ASCALE 11200% TINCH100 FEETD) Rtoo :200 $300 TE PLANE OPDINATE SYSTEM 3 4/3 107.43 598 D POOI 89.3 412 893 POOL 1399 16 911 89 3 400 FOC 410 89.3. 7011 7 41.36 115 463455563377 14 40g 893 402 13 76 -30.83 40.38 89.3 12 89.3 53 71.31 6g 1235.35 89.3 46 POQL 110 B-! A TRD 69 314 2 110 139.48 The Carousel School! Inc. 84 01.3s, 379.. 3. 3 5 0 15 85.9 55 197.96 - 81.99 12 2-542 12326 120.07 83.43 11 52 2-542 147.84 10 S.01(d) .54(Plan) 378 1377 92 82 1273 30 WALTHAM, MA MRA Ben jamin Wellington House 56 Whittier Street 1" = 100' 1975; updated to 1987 Waltham Engineering Dept. #163 lot #7-15-3 3400 FEET EGEND::. ROADS -PAVED..
UNPAVED TRACKS:OF RAILROADS BRIDGES "ROAD RAILROAL Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000301