National Register of Historic Places

Waldo, George A., House

Methuen, Essex County, Massachusetts
Listed
January 20, 1984
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
84002441

About this property

The George A. Waldo House is a historic house in Methuen, Massachusetts. Built in 1825 and altered somewhat around 1900 by local philanthropist Edward Searles, it is one of Methuen's finest examples of Federal period architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, and is currently occupied by the Methuen Family Funeral Home. The Waldo House is set on the north side of Lawrence Street, a short way east of Methuen's central business district, and abutting the former estate of Edward Searles to the north. It is a large 2+1⁄2-story wood-frame structure, whose main block is five bays wide, and is topped by a hip roof with a distinctive monitor section. The central bay has an early 20th-century Colonial Revival 2+1⁄2-story projection, with a gabled top and a flat-roofed balconeyed portico supported by Ionic columns. A number of additions, also early 20th century additions, extend to the main block's side and rear. At the western edge of the property there are two massive stone columns of the Corinthian order, which are topped by urns. The main block of the house was built about 1825 by George A. Waldo, who was apparently in the shoemaking business, and involved in the development of Methuen's central business district. In 1872, the house is listed as being owned by John Low, a local druggist. Mrs. Mary Low sold the house in 1888 to Edward Searles, retaining a lifetime occupancy. In the early 20th century, when Searles was developing his large estate on the property to the north, he made significant additions to this house and property, which included creation of a small park whose entry was marked by the two large columns, which he had transported from New York City. The house became a funeral home in the 1960s. National Register of Historic Places listings in Methuen, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places listings in Essex County, Massachusetts

Location

233 Lawrence St.
Methuen, Essex County, Massachusetts
42.72767, -71.18280

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

Lawrence Street Cemetery
Listed
0 mi
House 15-19 Park Street
Industrial
0.1 mi
First Baptist Church
Early Republic
0.1 mi
Park Lodge
Industrial
0.1 mi
House at 9 Park Street
Industrial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Waldo, George A., House listed on the National Register?

Waldo, George A., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 20, 1984.

What type of historic resource is Waldo, George A., House?

Waldo, George A., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Waldo, George A., House?

The period of significance for Waldo, George A., House is recorded as the industrial era.

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