First Congregational Church
Why it's listed
Set back from Main Street behind a lawn, this wood-frame church in central Waltham was begun in 1870 to designs by Boston architect Thomas W. Silloway, who was also an ordained Unitarian minister. Clement & Creay of Lawrence built it at an estimated cost of $50,000. The congregation began in 1820 as the Second Religious Society, formed when the opening of the Boston Manufacturing Company brought rapid population growth to the town center. A split between Unitarian and Trinitarian members followed, and the two groups reunited in 1906 as the First Congregational Church. A fire during renovation in 1925 led to the Georgian Revival remodeling that gives the building its present look, including a Palladian window with balcony over the entry, classical cornices and pilasters on the bell tower, and an octagonal spire. Original features such as the bracketed gable and segmental arched entry remain. Inside, a coffered nave ceiling and paired Ionic columns reflect the same remodeling.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church reflects the growth of the town center after the Boston Manufacturing Company opened, since it descends from the Second Religious Society, the town's second religious body. It is also architecturally significant as a blend of Romanesque and Georgian Revival elements, based on an original design by the noted church architect Thomas W. Silloway. It meets criteria A and C, with an exception for religious function.
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 89001548, listed September 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 730 Main St., Waltham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001548 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Thomas W. Silloway (architect); Clement & Creay of Lawrence (contractors) |
| Architectural style | Romanesque/Georgian Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as a present church in good condition; the form gives its use as church, both present and original. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.37573, -71.23943 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 89001548.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452826
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.