Sanderson, Nathan, I, House
Why it's listed
This farmhouse at 107 Lincoln Street in Waltham was reportedly built around 1783 by Nathan Sanderson I, who acquired the property from his brother Jonathan after their father, Jonathan Sanderson Sr., died in 1781. It stands on the site of an earlier house built about 1707 by Edward Sanderson, and it may incorporate that house's cellar. The building began as a two-room, 1½-story cottage. Before 1834 the roof was raised and a rear lean-to added, and later the lean-to roof was raised to give the full two-story Federal form. Today it is a symmetrical five-bay house with a gable roof, a large central chimney, clapboard siding, narrow corner boards and molded window and door trim. A rear ell was added in the 1920s. The house is valued as one of Waltham's surviving Federal farmhouses with early features intact, and as a link to the Sanderson family's long presence in the Piety Corner area and to the city's agricultural past.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the city's surviving Federal period farmhouses that keeps its early features. It was the home of a family tied to the Piety Corner area since the 17th century and illustrates that area's early settlement and agricultural origins. It meets criteria A and 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 89001556, listed September 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 107 Lincoln St., Waltham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001556 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Nathan Sanderson I (builder, reportedly); architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a dwelling; condition described as good. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.39359, -71.24249 (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 89001556.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6969327
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.