Whittemore House
Why it's listed
Whittemore House, at 267 Broadway in Arlington, Massachusetts, is a mid-19th-century residence built in the Greek Revival style. Its temple-front form, with a monumental Doric portico and a pedimented two-story porch, is the only example of that combination recorded in Arlington. A triangular wood fanlight in the pediment is another unusual feature. The house has been divided into four apartments and covered with asbestos shingle over its original clapboard, and an ell was extended to the rear in the late 19th century. Even so, the window enframements, doorway and entablature details, and the portico remain original. The house sits within the Broadway Historic District, a local district designated in 1981. Its closest architectural relative in the area was the First Parish's Third Meetinghouse of 1844, which later burned; the church's colonnaded facade could be seen from the house's front door. The property was listed for its architectural value as a temple-front Greek Revival building.
Significance in brief: It is described as the only Greek Revival building in Arlington with a pedimented two-story porch, a striking temple-front design. Original features include a monumental Doric portico, window enframements, doorway and entablature details, and an unusual triangular wood fanlight in the pediment. It meets criterion C as an example of temple-front Greek Revival architecture.
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 85001050, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 267 Broadway, Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001050 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as multifamily housing, divided into four units and re-sided with asbestos shingle over clapboard; a rear ell was added in the late 19th century. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.41350, -71.14792 (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 85001050.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7996842
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.