Fowle-Reed-Wyman House
Also known as: Belcher House
Why it's listed
Built around 1706, this five-bay farmhouse at 64 Old Mystic Street in Arlington is described as the oldest house in the town. It has a large central chimney, clapboard siding and a rear lean-to, and later gambrel additions give it an irregular roofline. Inside, exposed summer beams, wide pine floorboards and an early 18th-century kitchen fireplace survive. A 17th-century mantel and paneling, taken from the demolished Pierce House, were installed in the sitting room around 1945. The house stands on part of the former Squaw Sachem's Farm, which passed from her to the Gibbons family and then to the Fowles. John Fowle sold it in 1707 to Daniel Reed, and the Wyman family held it from 1775 for over a century. Several owners served in local offices, and the farm shrank from hundreds of acres to six-tenths of an acre by 1924, when the Belchers bought it.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the oldest house in Arlington. It stands on land once part of Squaw Sachem's Farm. Its successive owners, the Fowle, Reed and Wyman families, took part in the town's development and public life.
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 75000244, listed April 14, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 64 Old Mystic St., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 14, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000244 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1600-1699, 1700-1799 |
| Architectural style | Colonial (saltbox) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence in excellent condition, still used as a residence; the original site is unmoved. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.43190, -71.15633 (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 75000244.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5476386
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.