United States Watch Company
Also known as: U.S. Watch Co.; Howard Clock Products
Why it's listed
Built in two stages, in 1886 and 1901, this brick factory at 256 Charles Street in Waltham was first home to the United States Watch Company, a spinoff of the American Waltham Watch Company. The T-shaped plan has a four-story clock tower flanked by three-story wings of 22 bays each, with tall six-over-six windows to light the watchmakers' work. The tower has a round-arched entrance in gauged brick, a circular clock, a deep corbelled cornice and a pyramidal cap. Local contractor Robert C. Glancy built it. The plant closed in 1895, stood vacant until 1901, and was then reopened under new ownership, which added the second wing. The firm later became the E. Howard Watch Works and then Howard Clock Products, which makes clock parts and reproduction clocks. It remains the only timepiece-related industry still operating in Waltham. A brick powerhouse behind the west wing contributes to the property; a shed does not.
Significance in brief: The plant was a spinoff of the American Waltham Watch Company and, with it, shows the late 19th and early 20th century watch industry that dominated Waltham. It follows the narrow-winged factory format pioneered by the American Waltham Watch Company and shows elements of Romanesque Revival style. It has housed watch or clock manufacturing from 1886 to the present.
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 89001494, listed September 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 260 Charles St., Waltham |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001494 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Robert C. Glancy (builder) |
| Architectural style | Elements of Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition good; no major alterations; still used industrially, the only timepiece-related industry still operating in Waltham. |
| Acreage | 2.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.37258, -71.24855 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 89001494.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7892296
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.