Gibbs, William, House
Why it's listed
Built between 1845 and 1847 at 14 Liberty Street in Waltham, this two-and-a-half-story house is a temple-front Greek Revival dwelling, one of only four of its kind surviving in the city. Fluted Corinthian columns support a pedimented portico, and the house also has a deep cornice, full entablature, paneled cornerboards and a rear ell. The entry is topped by a transom and triangular pediment, and the windows hold late-19th-century two-over-two sash. Asphalt shingle siding added in the mid-20th century has not hidden these features. Hat manufacturer William Gibbs apparently built it and sold it in 1847 to John Galbraith, another hat manufacturer, whose family held it for almost 30 years until a foreclosure in 1876. It later became a rental property owned by a real estate agent. The house reflects how the area north of Main Street developed as housing for workers and small businessmen, and it was listed for both history and architecture.
Significance in brief: The house is one of four surviving temple-front Greek Revival houses in Waltham, with fluted Corinthian columns carrying the gable pediment. It also illustrates the mid-19th-century development of the north central Main Street area as a home for workers and small businessmen. The form states it retains integrity despite later asphalt siding.
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 89001561, listed September 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 14 Liberty St., Waltham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001561 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by William Gibbs, hat manufacturer |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (temple-front) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition fair; present use multi-family residential; original use residential. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.37711, -71.23316 (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 89001561.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8009847
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.