Stark, Robert M., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1890 at 176 Main Street in Waltham, this Queen Anne house was designed by local architect George E. Strout for Robert M. Stark, a Waltham lawyer who bought the lot in 1890 and later served as City Solicitor. The house keeps its clapboards, patterned shingles and distinctive form, with the exception of its porches, which date from the 1950s. Its most striking feature is a corner tower with a conical roof, sawtooth shingles, carved friezes of rosettes and leaf forms, and a third-level loggia with turned posts and arches. An octagonal bay, a bracketed oriel and pedimented attic gables add to the detail. It is the only house in Waltham directly linked to Strout, and it reflects the growth of Main Street as a fashionable residential area in the late nineteenth century. It sits prominently on a corner lot as a gateway to the neighborhood and remains a private residence in good condition.
Significance in brief: The house is an outstanding, largely intact example of Queen Anne domestic architecture, notable for its conically capped corner tower, patterned shingles and carved friezes. It is the only dwelling in Waltham documented as the work of architect George E. Strout. It also represents Main Street's development as a fashionable residential area in the later 19th century.
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 89001552, listed September 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 176 Main St., Waltham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001552 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | George E. Strout |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as a private residence in good condition; the porch was replaced in the 1950s. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.37619, -71.21576 (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 89001552.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7347184
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.