National Register of Historic Places

French, Daniel, School

Waltham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
September 27, 1989
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
89001581

About this property

The Daniel French School is a historic school building at 38–40 Common Street in Waltham, Massachusetts. Built in 1847 by a prominent local educator, it is a well-preserved example of vernacular Greek Revival architecture, and is important for the role it played in Waltham's 19th century educational environment. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. It is now a residential duplex. The Daniel French School is located on the west side of Common Street, which extends north from Waltham's Central Square. It is a 1+1⁄2-story wood-frame structure, oriented with its front facing north and presenting a side gable to the street. The building corners have paneled pilasters, and the roof is pierced on both sides by three gabled dormers. The two first-floor windows on the street-facing facade may be replacements for the original school doors, done c. 1860 when the building became residential. The building was built by Daniel French, an educator whose students (when he first began teaching in Boston) included Charles Francis Adams, Jr. He moved to Waltham in 1842, where he first served as principal of its high school. He established a private school in 1844, building this structure in 1847 for that endeavour. He stopped teaching in 1858, selling the building the following year to William Clark, a grocer. Clark converted it into its present use as a residential duplex. National Register of Historic Places listings in Waltham, Massachusetts

Location

38--40 Common St.
Waltham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.37758, -71.23694

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

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0 mi
St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Complex
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Central Square Historic District
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Beard, Josiah, House
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Nearby Battles

Lexington Green — Parker's Stand
1775Revolutionary War
4.8 mi
Skirmish at Menotomy (Arlington)
1775Revolutionary War
4.9 mi
Battle of Menotomy
1775Revolutionary War
4.9 mi
Battle of Lexington
1775Revolutionary War
4.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was French, Daniel, School listed on the National Register?

French, Daniel, School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 27, 1989.

What type of historic resource is French, Daniel, School?

French, Daniel, School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for French, Daniel, School?

The period of significance for French, Daniel, School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near French, Daniel, School?

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