Fowle, Edmund, House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built sometime between 1740 and 1770 for Watertown cordwainer Edmund Fowle, this square, symmetrical Georgian house has two stories, a hipped roof, a central chimney and white clapboard siding, much of it original. Inside, the original Jacobean stairway survives, along with a colonial chimney breast whose details may derive from William Paine's 1762 Builder's Companion. During the siege of Boston in 1775-76, the Massachusetts provincial government met in Watertown, and a large second-floor chamber in the house served the Executive Council and committees of the Provincial Congress. Treaties with Native tribes were signed there, and General George Washington met the council on August 5, 1775. The Fowle family lived in the house for about 150 years. Between 1872 and 1874 it was moved to Marshall Street and converted to a two-family dwelling. The Watertown Historical Society acquired it in 1922 and later restored the north front room.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it probably the second oldest house remaining in Watertown. In 1775-76 it housed the executive authority of the emerging Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where treaties were signed and George Washington met the Executive Council. A later amendment raises its level of significance from local to national.
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 77000189, listed November 11, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 26-28 Marshall St., Watertown |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | November 11, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000189 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1740-1770 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition and altered. It was moved and converted to a two-family dwelling in 1872-74. It is owned by the Watertown Historical Society and used as a museum and as residences, with two tenants. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.36841, -71.18027 (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 77000189.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5339472
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.