Hall, Edward, House
Why it's listed
Built about 1890 at 187 Pleasant Street in Arlington, this Queen Anne house sits on a large corner lot with its original circular driveway. Charles Bacon, president of Felt Mills in Winchester, owned the land and had the house built for his daughter, Mrs. Edward Hall. She sold it to Albert Walcott in 1912. A fire in 1893 destroyed the interior, but the elaborate exterior survived untouched. The plan is a simple rectangle, yet projecting gables, a conically roofed circular tower and an arched verandah give it a rambling, picturesque profile. The main gable carries medium-relief carving of swirling vegetation with Art Nouveau influence, topped by a cartouche. The verandah has turned posts with large spheres at midpoint and an original spindle balustrade. Tapered chimneys and half-timber decoration on the gable ends add further detail. It was listed as a well-preserved, well-detailed example of Queen Anne architecture in Arlington.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a well-preserved and well-detailed example of the Queen Anne style in Arlington. Its distinctiveness comes from Art Nouveau-influenced gable carving, a conical-roofed corner tower and an original arched verandah. It retains integrity of location, design, setting, workmanship, feeling, materials and association.
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 85001033, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 187 Pleasant St., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001033 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; the exterior is described as essentially unaltered, with the 1/1 sash windows probably replacements, and the lot is well maintained. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.40906, -71.15944 (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 85001033.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5343277
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.