House at 45 Claremont Avenue
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of Appleton and Claremont Streets in Arlington, Massachusetts, this frame house was built around 1885-1890 and is still used as a residence. Its clapboard exterior combines Victorian Gothic and Italianate features, a pairing described as comparatively rare among Arlington homes. A curved porch bracing contrasts with the triangular, steeply pitched gable, which has a pine tree window at its center. Windows are fully framed with bracketed caps. The house was built in an area that was mostly farmland until the mid-1870s, after which handsome homes appeared as the neighborhood grew popular with well-to-do commuters. Theodore B. Merrick, an instructor at the Institute of Technology in Cambridge, lived here in the 1890s. For many years afterward it was the home of George Tewksbury, listed in the Arlington Directory as a promoter connected with the Studio Building in Boston. The house was listed for its architecture and its association with Merrick.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a fine example of a blend of Victorian Gothic and Italianate styles, which is comparatively rare for houses in Arlington. It is also tied to Theodore B. Merrick, an instructor at the Institute of Technology, who lived there in the 1890s. It meets Criteria B and C and retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling 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 85001036, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 45 Claremont Ave., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001036 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate/Victorian Gothic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; no major alterations are recorded and the house has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.41980, -71.20976 (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 85001036.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914334
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.