Cushman House
Why it's listed
Set among trees in the foothills of Arlington Heights, this house at 104 Bartlett Avenue was built around 1890 to 1895 and remains a residence. It is regarded as one of the finest examples of the pure Queen Anne style in Arlington. The steeply pitched roof has a front-facing gable, and the walls combine smooth dark clapboards on the first story with lighter bevelled shingles laid in a scallop pattern on the second. A recessed corner entrance porch features turned spindles, spool-work transoms and curving brackets. The mix of proportions and materials gives the house an exuberance that many neighboring buildings lack. The lot was once part of L. P. Bartlett's estate, and the house went up during the first phase of Bartlett Avenue's development. It appears as Cushman on an 1898 atlas, and by 1923 it belonged to Ellen Parson. It was listed for its architectural quality and its retained integrity, with no major alterations recorded.
Significance in brief: The house is considered one of the best examples of the pure Queen Anne style in Arlington. Its steep roof, front-facing gable, contrasting clapboard and scalloped shingle surfaces, and recessed corner porch with turned spindles are typical of the style. It also dates from the first phase of development of Bartlett Avenue in the 1890s.
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 85001027, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 104 Bartlett Ave., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001027 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential, with no major alterations and no outbuildings recorded; the house has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.41188, -71.16270 (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 85001027.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5196216
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.