Brigham House
Why it's listed
Built around 1893 on the north side of Main Street in Waltham, this wood-shingled house blends Shingle, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival features. It sits on a rise above the lowlands of Clemantis Brook. The main facade has three parts: a projecting enclosed porch, a hip-roofed center section and a recessed one-bay section with a chamfered corner. Notable details include a tall stairway window with a keystone arch and leaded glass, a small diamond-paned window, plaster ribbon and swag ornament between scroll brackets, a dormer with a swan's neck hood and a west-wall oriel window. The lot was carved from the Bright family estate in the early 1890s and sold to Ella R. and Elijah W. Brigham in 1892. Ella Brigham lived there until about 1920. The house is valued as one of the town's most successful stylistic hybrids and as an example of turn-of-the-century suburban infill. It remains in good condition with no major alterations.
Significance in brief: The house is considered an exceptionally well-detailed and well-preserved late 19th century hybrid of Shingle, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles. It is also representative of turn-of-the-century suburban development, which filled in established areas and created new subdivisions. It ranks among the last individually built houses along Main Street before extensive post-1920 suburban development.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 89001551, listed September 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 235 Main St., Waltham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001551 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Hybrid of Shingle, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival elements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a private residence; condition is good, with no major alterations, no outbuildings, and the building has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.37507, -71.21779 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 89001551.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4967304
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.