Stanley, Leonard W., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1855-1856, this two-story clapboard house at 23-25 Taylor Street sits on a rise in Waltham's South Side, bordered on three sides by a rubblestone retaining wall. At first glance it resembles a center-hall Federal farmhouse, but a deep cornice, segmental-arch attic windows and a steeply pitched gable roof with return eaves reveal Italianate influence. It rests on a low granite-block foundation, and its windows hold 6/6 wood sash. The plan is U-shaped, with a western ell from about the 1870s and an eastern ell added after 1886. Deed research shows that Ebenezer D. Gordon, a manufacturer, sold the lot to Leonard W. Stanley, a policeman, in September 1855 for $450. In 1854 only Pine, Taylor and Cushing Streets lay east of Moody Street, which makes this one of the oldest buildings in that area. The house was listed for its unusual blend of late Federal and Italianate design and for its architectural integrity.
Significance in brief: It is one of the oldest houses on Waltham's South Side and one of the oldest buildings east of Moody Street. It combines late Federal form with Italianate details such as a deep cornice, segmental-arch attic windows and a steeply pitched gable roof. It was long the home of Leonard W. Stanley, a policeman, and 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 89001509, listed September 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 23--25 Taylor St., Waltham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001509 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Late Federal/Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and in use as a private residence, as originally. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.36985, -71.23606 (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 89001509.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6525818
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.