Foster, Walter K., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1870 at 57 Central Street in Stoneham, this clapboard house was the home of Walter K. Foster, who owned a pencil sharpener factory and worked as an inventor. It is a side-hall Italianate dwelling, and the nomination counts it among three such houses in town. The entry sits in a two-bay gable end facing Central Street, framed by paneled pilasters that carry paired brackets and the cornice return. A heavy bracketed hood shelters a door with paired arched lights, and the windows have bracketed caps and two-over-two sash. The house rests on a brick foundation and has no recorded alterations, outbuildings or relocation. It was listed for its architectural value as a well-preserved local example of the Italianate style, and for its association with Foster, a known local industrialist. It also illustrates the fashionable residences that were built near the town center after the middle of the nineteenth century.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a totally intact example of a side-hall Italianate house, one of three such houses in Stoneham. It also represents the more fashionable residences built near the town center after the mid-nineteenth century. It is tied to Walter K. Foster, owner of a pencil sharpener factory and an inventor.
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 84002616, listed April 13, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 57 Central St., Stoneham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002616 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a residence; the form reports no major alterations, no outbuildings, and that the building has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.48187, -71.09831 (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 84002616.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7965306
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.