Waitt Brick Block

The Waitt Block stands on the west side of Main Street, Just north of Pleasant Street, in the densely bullt up commercial center of Malden. Ihis mid-nineteenth century bullding currently occupies a 4600 square foot lot and shares party walls with later adjoining structures. Originally it was freestanding and occupied the entire 16000 square foot lot formed by the intersection of Main and Pleasant Streets. Despite the later construction, its curved facade still reflects the early street pattern. Built c. 1848, the Waitt Block rises three storys from a foundation of granite rubble stotte and cut granite (now below grade) to a combination gable and hip roof covered in slate. The main body of the block is executed in red pressed brick laid in a common bond with narrow raked joints.

Greek Revival in style, the building is simple in form and spare in ornamentation. The symmetrically aligned rectangular shaped windows have sharply cut openings with granite lintels and sills. The upper level of the building is accented by a raised brick beltcourse which runs above the third floor windows. Further delineation is made by a brick cornice consisting of two courses, one which is a band of plain dentils, and the other which is of a sawtooth pattern. The most significant alteration to the block resulted from a realignment of Pleasant Street in 1894 and the construction of a new building which obstructed four of the bays of the earlier structure.

Additional alterations on the street level facade have resulted from the needs of a succession of commercial tenants, as well as from reconstruction after fires in 1891 and 1940. Originally the storefronts consisted of monolithic granite piers and Iintels with 13 bays which were congruent to the upper tenestration.

/Architect unknown Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) The Waitt Brick Block possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship, as well as strong associationswith the economic development of Malden Square during the mid 19th century. Constructed c. 1848, it is also the only surviving structure from the period and represents a fine example of the commercial Greek Revival style. This building therefore meets criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places. Thomas Wait, Jr. (1803-1859), a state representative, town clerk, and deacon in the local baptist society, Iinanced the bullding ot the commercial block that bears his name. Wait purchased the property in 1840 for $1,100 and sold it, with a new brick edifice, in 1851 for $3,100.

At that time, the building was sold as three separate vertical units, known as the "North Store," the "Middle Store," and the "Old Store." From 1868 through the 1940's, a grocery store operated in the North Store, often called the Hills Block after the pro- prietors. The Middle Store originally housed an oyster and drinking saloon, and was later used by H.P. Hood and Sons as a distribution center for their company. A later occupant was the printing firm, Senate Brothers. The Old Store for many years operated as an outlet for rubber products, such as boots, shoes and rubbers, which were manufactured in the town. This was followed by an apothocary shop. The upper floors have been used for offices and apartment dwellings.

The most prominent enterprise which had their businesses located here in the late 19th century were two local newspapers, the Malden Mirror (1871-1914) and the Chelsea Record and Temperance Advocate (1847-1906), both of which had their offices, composition rooms, and printing presses on the second and third floors from 1873-1891.