Martin, Aaron, Houses
Why it's listed
Two double houses at 188-190 and 192-194 Adams Street in Waltham's South Side were built between 1892 and 1900 and remain in residential use. Each has a boxy form under a hip roof with double-hip dormers, clapboard siding, and a pedimented front porch with turned posts and spool-work transoms. Windows on the three-bay main facades are fully framed and pedimented, with incised floral decoration. No major alterations are recorded, and the condition is good. The houses are valued as early, well-preserved examples of the four-square form with vestigial Queen Anne trim. They also reflect a period of rapid house building on the South Side, driven by the prosperity of the American Waltham Watch Company and by electrified streetcar service. The land was sold in 1892 to Aaron L. Martin, a watch company employee who lived nearby on Moody Street. The architect is unknown.
Significance in brief: The houses are argued to be well-preserved, early examples of the four-square form with vestigial Queen Anne trim. They also reflect accelerated South Side residential construction fueled by the prosperity of the American Waltham Watch Company and improved streetcar links.
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 89001486, listed September 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 188--194 Adams St., Waltham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001486 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne/Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition good; residential use, with no major alterations recorded. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.36426, -71.24121 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 89001486.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4662245
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.