Robindreau, Alfred E., House
Why it's listed
This shingle-clad bungalow with Craftsman features stands at 28 Lafayette Street in East Arlington, Massachusetts. Built around 1920 and dated by stylistic analysis, it has a garage outbuilding, has not been moved, and has no recorded major alterations. The architect is unknown. Most houses in the surrounding Whittemore Park area are roomy 2½-story residences that evolved from Shingle and Colonial Revival styles, so this smaller bungalow stands apart as one of the best-preserved examples of its type in Arlington. The lot was once part of the Whittemore estate and later part of George L. Thorndike's farm, where the flat land suited market gardening. After World War I the Thorndike estate was divided into streets and the Whittemore Park development grew up. The house's first occupant was Alfred E. Robindreau, a poultry dealer. It was listed for its architectural merit and its retained integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the best-preserved bungalows in Arlington, in a neighborhood mostly made up of larger 2½-story Shingle and Colonial Revival-derived homes. It retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. It meets criterion C.
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 85001043, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 28 Lafayette St., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001043 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Bungalow with Craftsman influence |
| 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 | 42.40090, -71.13826 (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 85001043.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4722589
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.