Peck, John M., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1843 at 27 Liberty Street in Waltham, this 2½-story clapboard house is a modest example of Greek Revival design. Carpenters John L. Perkins and Daniel Stone built it and sold it that autumn to John M. Peck, a hatter with a Main Street shop who served as Representative to the General Court in 1843 and 1844. The house has a sidehall plan, a pedimented attic, simple cornerboards and entablature, and a more elaborate entrance with pilasters and a corniced entablature. It rests on a granite foundation, and a north ell was added in 1849. Later owners included dry goods dealer Phineas Upham and real estate agent Henry P. Sherman, who used it as an office as well as a residence. The house is significant for its architecture and for showing how the area east of Church Street was laid out and settled in the 1840s, when Liberty and School streets were built, as housing for workers and small businessmen.
Significance in brief: It is a well-detailed, well-preserved example of a modest vernacular Greek Revival house with a pedimented gable and a pilastered entry. Its documented chain of owners illustrates how the north central Main Street area developed in the mid-19th century as a home for workers and small businessmen.
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 89001559, listed September 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 27 Liberty St., Waltham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001559 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John Perkins/Daniel Stone, carpenters (John L. Perkins and Daniel Stone) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; condition is described as good. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.37784, -71.23282 (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 89001559.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6245910
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.