Fiske, Elijah, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1801, this brick Federal house at 457 Lincoln Street in Waltham began as the farmhouse of Elijah Fiske, who acquired the land in March 1801. It is a double house with a five-by-four bay profile, a low hip roof, four tall chimneys, and nearly identical west and south facades. Each has a recessed entry under a recessed elliptical fanlight, though the one on the south facade is blank. Two rear ells and a garage ell have been added, and the windows hold replacement 2/2 sash. It is one of only three brick Federal houses in the city. Family tradition credits Luke Fiske with building it for his son in 1841, but deed research points to Elijah Fiske instead. Luke Fiske was a selectman, a state representative in 1838, and the first president of the Waltham Bank. The farm once covered 120 acres, and it was later subdivided into small house lots in the early 1920s. The house is still a residence.
Significance in brief: The form argues the house is an excellent example of a brick Federal house and one of only three such houses in Waltham. It was also the family home of prominent citizens in the first half of the nineteenth century, which supports listing under criteria B and C.
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 89001514, listed September 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 457 Lincoln St., Waltham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001514 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Residential use, condition described as good; the only noted alteration is a pool, and outbuildings are listed as none. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.40303, -71.24818 (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 89001514.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5360917
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.