Lockhardt, Charles H., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1890 at 88 College Avenue in northwestern Somerville, this Queen Anne style house stands in an urban residential area near Tufts College. Its original owner, Charles H. Lockhardt, was a Somerville undertaker who chose the area between Davis Square and Powder House Circle, where local businessmen built a number of fine homes. The clapboard house has a three-story corner tower topped by a cornice and finial, and a curved projecting bay with stained glass panes above the side entry. Early photographs show a gabled porch roof with turned posts, which were replaced early in the twentieth century with Georgian Revival balustrades and posts. A hip-roofed carriage house with a cupola, now shingled over, survives at the rear. The house is in excellent condition and remains a residence. It was listed for its architectural quality and its retained integrity as a finely detailed local example of the style.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a finely detailed example of the Queen Anne style and meets Criterion C at the local level. It keeps its three-story corner tower, curved stained glass bay and later Georgian Revival porch details. It also reflects the fine houses Somerville businessmen built near Davis Square, including its original owner, an undertaker.
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 89001249, listed September 18, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 88 College Ave., Somerville |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 18, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001249 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as excellent; still used as a residence and not moved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.39926, -71.11974 (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 89001249.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5078593
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.