Piety Corner Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Piety Corner Historic District
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The former Covenant Congregational Church; part of Chapel Hill - Chauncy Hall School as of 2011
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly Bacon and Lexington Sts., Waltham, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 65.6 acres (26.5 ha) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| MPS | Waltham MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001499 |
| Added to NRHP | March 09, 1990 |
The Piety Corner Historic District is a special area in Waltham, Massachusetts, known for its history. It's found around a main intersection where Totten Pond Road meets Lexington and Bacon Streets. This district has many old houses from the 1800s and early 1900s that are still in great shape. It stretches along Bacon Street and Lexington Street. This historic area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, which means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Contents
Early Days of Piety Corner
This section tells you about how Piety Corner got its start.
First Settlers and Its Name
English colonists first settled the Piety Corner area in the late 1600s. Back then, it was called "Hosier's Corner" after one of the first people who lived there. It later got its current name, "Piety Corner," because many ministers lived in the area. "Piety" means being very religious.
Oldest Homes in the Area
None of the very first houses from the 1600s or 1700s are still standing in the district today. However, Waltham's oldest house, the Hagar-Smith-Livermore-Sanderson House, built around 1721, is not too far away. The oldest homes you can find within the Piety Corner district itself are:
- The Sanderson-Bemis House (built between 1819 and 1829) at 380 Lexington Street.
- The Jonas Clark House (built around 1825) at 399 Lexington Street.
These homes show the Federal style of architecture, which was popular in the early 1800s.
Growth and Changes Over Time
Piety Corner saw many changes as Waltham grew.
Shifting Focus in Waltham
In the 1820s, Waltham's main growth moved south towards the Charles River. This happened when the Boston Manufacturing Company was started. Because of this, the Piety Corner area didn't develop as quickly for a while.
The Swedenborgian Church and Schools
A big change came in the mid-1800s.
- In 1859, the Waltham Corporation of the New Jerusalem Church was created for families in Piety Corner.
- The Waltham New-Church School was founded in 1860 to support these families.
- The Swedenborgian Church (which later became the Covenant Congregational Church) was built. Its current building, designed in an English Medieval style, was finished in 1879.
- By 1864, the school needed more space. So, the Waltham New-Church School built two more buildings: Wilkins Hall and the Cottage. These buildings are still used today by the Chapel Hill - Chauncy Hall School.
School Name Changes
The school's ownership later went to the New-Church Institute of Education.
- In 1912, the school's name changed to the Waltham School for Girls. This was because schools were starting to separate boys and girls more often.
- Even though it was mostly for girls, the school still accepted boys in the younger grades. Since the boys didn't like the "Girls" name, the lower school became known as Chapel Hill in 1937.
- In 2010, the Covenant Congregational Church closed after serving the community for 150 years.
- In 2011, the Church building was reconnected with the rest of the campus, which is now part of the Chapel Hill - Chauncy Hall School.
New House Styles Emerge
In the 1860s, many new types of houses were built in Piety Corner:
- Second Empire style houses with special mansard roofs.
- Two beautiful Carpenter Gothic houses at 326 and 356 Bacon Street. These homes have fancy wooden details.
- One very unusual house was built in 1875 at 361 Bacon Street. It was first built as an octagon house, meaning it had eight sides! Later, parts of it were removed, giving it its unique shape today.
By the late 1800s, Piety Corner became a popular place for wealthy families to live. You can see this in the many fine Queen Anne and Colonial Revival style houses. Great examples include homes at 326 Lexington (built 1888) and 395 Lexington (built 1891).
Road Construction and Its Impact
In 1960, the Piety Corner area was changed by the building of Totten Pond Road. This is a big road that goes west from the main intersection. Because of this new road, a part of the historic area near Lexington and Lincoln Streets became separated from the main district. This separated part was later listed as its own historic area, called the North Lexington Street Historic District.
