BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
1 30 -FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 AUG 2 1 1989 NATONAL REGISTEF Town AREA FORM NO. 104 Address WALTHAM, MA MRA Waltham, MA 30 Common Street Historic Name James Swasey House Photo (3"x3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. Staple to left side of form. 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 Use: Present Residential Original Residential DESCRIPTION Date ca. 1846 Source - Deeds Style Greek Revival Architect_James Swasey--carpenter Exterior Wall Fabric . Clapboard Outbuildings garage-NC Major Alterations (with dates) Condition_Good Moved no Date- n/a Acreage O.3A. 12,640 sq. ft.
60-12-9 Setting In a residential area of mid- 19th c. houses very close to a major business district UTM REFERENCE 19/315790/4693860 USGS QUADRANGLE_ Lexington SCALE 1:25,000 Recorded by Nancy S. Seasholes Organization Waltham Historical Comm. August 1986 revised C. Jenkins 2/88 : - NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) The James Swasey House is a very modest but well preserved example of a vernacular sidehall plan Greek Revival style house in the city. Its story form is detailed with a pedimented gable, cornerboards, entry with full sidelights, and Doric porch. It is a good illustration of the development of the north central Main Street area in the mid-19th century as a home for workers and small businessmen; its history particularly documents real estate practices.
The house possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and associations and 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. Set on what is still primarily a residential street of mid-nineteenth century. houses although impacted by a major commercial district around the corner, this porticoed Greek Revival house is probably typical of many that were built in its era. It has a pedimented attic, simple entablature, corner boards, gable-end side entrance with sidelights, a and a granite foundation. It 1s a structure rising 25 stories to a gable roof; it is extended by a two storv rear ell. Windows retain original 6/6 sash.
Its well preserved simplicity presents an interesting counterpoint to similiar area examples like the Josiah Beard House (#94). HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. This house was probably built ca. 1846 by James Swasey, a carpenter. Interestingly, the lot had changed handsseveral times in the years just preceding this, apparently with the intention of building a house on speculation, but none had been constructed. In 1840, this lot was sold to Lewis Bemis, a successful cordwainer who lived and worked at 380 Lexington Street (see form) and was apparently speculating in real estate. Bemis immediately sold it to Daniel Sawyer, a housewright.
Sawyer did not build a house on this lot, but another contract between Sawyer and Bemis is illuminating about the type of houses housewrights like Sawyer did build for speculators l1ke Bemis. This contract, dated August 4, 1840, specified that Sawyer was to build two tenements: 36 feet long, 17 feet wide, each wih an "L" 12 by 15 feet and a shed 10 by 14, feet with an outhouse. house was to be "finished inside and out in a plain good substantial manner." Stairs were to be "straightrun", there were to be moldings "round all the doors and windows", and the tenement was to be divided "from the height of the roof to the bottom of the ells." The price of this house was to be $425 provided Bemis had two more tenements, with approximately the same dimensions and finishes, built by Sawyer for $400 (M.D.396:393).
In 1841, Sawyer sold this lot back to Bemis without, as stated previously, having built a house on it and in April 1846 Bemis sold the lot to Swasey who presumably built this house shortly thereafter. Swasey continued to occupy the house for the rest of the nineteenth century and his widow was still living in it in 1923. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Middlesex Deeds - 391:159, 160; 404:529; 478:486,487 Maps and atlases - 1854, 1875, 1886, 1900, 1911, 1915, 1923 Directories - 1871, 1886, 1899 8/85 (PS Form 10.800-a 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 1 1989 . Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Waltham MRA Middlesex County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review Date/Signature Sul 81. St.
Mary's Roman Catholic Church Complex NKeeper Substantive Review Bett Suse 1/28181 Attest 82. Stanley, Leonard W., Houghtered 1n the National Register 83. Stark Building 84. Stark, Robert M., House Entered 1n the National Register 85. Stearns, Amos, House Intered In tha Nationai Register 86. Stewart, Henry, House 87. Swasey, James, House /Keeper AeloreAgen 9/25/84 Attest Entered in tue National Register IKeeper Allreskye 9/2084 Attest Keeper delorenDye 9/2584 Attest Keeper dilvseeßyen 9/28144 Attest Entered in the Satond 1neslotor b xeopor dübrußgen 9/25/84 Attest Intered 1a tha Natlonal Reristor fKeeper Aeloreßogun 9/2369 88. Tyler, Frank J., House Entered in the National Register 89. United States Watch Company interel 1n tha wational Register 90.
Waltham Gas Light Company Entered in tha National Register Attest fkeper Deloußgen 1/2869 Attest_ Jrcoper AelmuBgu 9/0582 Attest fropor_ AelmusByew7/4 Attest UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Swasey, James, 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: 89001530 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: N N N PERIOD: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: COMMENT WAIVER: N VACCEPT _RETURN _REJECT Entered in tha 9/28/89 DADE Batorod Inebiates ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: RECOM./CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLIÑE 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 OTHER COMMENTS USGS maps _photographs Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone _presentation Signed Date 30 COMMON STI WALTHAM, MA MRA # 104.
(Jcue) owasu 1'House 50 ,38 122 3 48.2 54:58 P7OL 51-13-3 Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston 2 49.5 159-157 318(s) 158456- 3 103.89 150- SCHOOL. 50.35 50.48 142(s) 145 4 5 6 96-1006 27.5 58 123 132(d) 14075 105 58 77 50 6345) 2.54 812 2 68 120 53(3) 52(s). 63(s) 83 = 5 5/ 68 1513 MIDDLE J06 10 8 - Lui 104r.j 110.75 21-19 22½-20 H0,64 52.1 69.53 -136.09 B -13 208.4 212641 .36 124.17 102 - 20 73.85 .BP.9 1219 1OS37.88 )7.15 7 132.63 4-6 75(s) COMNER 1691 52!1 | 55.74 =24 a 26- 138.69 30 8 10006 :7 L0002 136.134 146.91 38.40. ST.39.1 42-44 3 E 671, WALTHAM, MA MRA James Swasey House #104 30 Common Street 1" = 100' 1975; updated to 1987 Waltham Engineering Dept. 1ot #60-12-9 -Lenter 4-300 102-50 212.16 126 (95k) 85(5) * 18 -. 18-116 272.74 :574 (33(s 50tc) 356 851 -95-2 20.8 S47. 99-577 94.5a726) ST. 54.2 20 96.41 A.
17.5 41.50.10 50.00 1o CiY 20 tWaltbam/ 91.00 City of Walthom Parking Garage 116.09 26:32 25 6 84.65 60.65 21.02 102-46 67.69 128 09 B57 151.92 1602 cojtrr Va0s8 4S.5 96.6 102- -. LEXINGTON B9* 146T GEI N Waltham Lodad B.P.O.E.#953 76.65 10 75 (g). * 9 022L4 25G1 0i.A: 16173 225(g) 17(d) 95()- 5:102.71 018.2 30 8 :02.12 11. ST MARYS/ R.C. CHURCH 4000 4860 $150 2I6O 0, 7%%0 164-162 158 15C 152-150 SCHOOL' 114 10 : 44 8130 16200 33-3 7960 6360 UrE 3270 8850 7500 6489 2300 0350 MIDD 5775 4425 17420 6930 1600g 4300 4415 N 3985/ 9200 5382 9039 5s T.. 0331 ca1? 687 L 1233/ 1970 Atlas, City of Waltham Compiled by the Waltham Engineering Division Scale: 1 inch = 140 feet sLne 23.23' 14.50 9270- 209547 63900 CITY OF WALTHAM NORTH JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 115 118-HC 4595 5/70 17640 75SS A 4209 6920 21 20260 R 647 (i 5T ST.
8 26225 20-24 LEXINGT FIRE STATION 83 POLICE TSTATION P FIRE STATION 15 Waltham, Massachusetts MRA 30 Common Street James Swasey House 16-M-1 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000301