37 Summit Street

1913 Ella S. Sherman and other Lawrence heirs sold Lots 72 through 75 and parts of Lots 76 through 78 of the Lawrence Estates to Fred L. Butman in 1913 (MLR 3853/430). These were all the lots along the north side of Summit Street from one house lot east of present day Galen Street all the way to present day Tomlin Street. No buildings were mentioned in the deed, and none were shown on the 1911 Waltham Engineer's map. The deed mentioned that Tomlin Street was recently laid out by the city, and that there was a stone wall along the northern border of this deeded land. This stone wall marked the southernmost Squadron Line of the 1636 Great Dividend land grants, the original colonial land grants to individuals within what became Waltham. This stone wall is shown on maps of the late 1800s and early 1900s, and a remnant of it can still be seen from Galen Street at the back of the lot of 35 Summit Street. Another remnant stone wall marking this boundary line can be seen crossing the Ridge Trail in Prospect Hill Park between Big Prospect and Little Prospect peaks. On maps, these two remnants line up along the same straight line.

1916 In 1916, Fred Butman sold the lot for 37 Summit Street (Lot D in the subdivision plan, Plan Book 221, Plan 1) to Mary A. Hudson (MLR 4062/11). About the same time, Mary Hudson took out a mortgage with the Watch City Cooperative Bank for $2,800 (MLR 4062/13). Fred L. Butman originally was a business man involved with printing and stationery in Boston, but by this time his profession had changed to real estate. He was responsible for the development of many of the houses in the immediate area. He was not an architect or builder, but appears to have bought undeveloped lots, had houses built on them, and then sold them. It was during this period that he had built, and then sold, the houses at 80 and 82 Lawrence Street, and at 30, 36, and 40 Summit Street, which the house at 37 Summit Street somewhat resembles. It appears that the house at 37 Summit Street was built for Fred Butman in 1916 and first lived in by the Hudsons, the same year. Mary Hudson was a widow, but living with her was her son, John R. Hudson. He was first listed at this address in the 1916 annual listing as a druggist. According to the 1917 city directory, his store was at 136 Prospect Street, which is the location on the corner of Felton and Prospect Streets where the Watch City Café used to be, in more recent times. This was perhaps a good location for a drug store, since it was near the Waltham Hospital. According to the 1920 census, living with them was Mary's daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband Martin Fisher, a civil engineer.

1922 Mary Hudson sold the house to Minnie and James A. Whittaker in 1922 (MLR 4506/401). James Whittaker was a manager of a business in West Newton, but died in 1926, soon after they bought the house. However, their daughter, Marion, and her husband, Bertrand Powers, appear to have moved in with Minnie after James' death. Bertrand worked at the watch factory. Minnie died in 1936, but the Powers continued to live here until 1950. Minnie had deeded the house to Marion in 1935 (MLR 5958/452).

1950 In 1950, Bertrand J. Powers, Jr., Bertrand and Marion Powers' son, sold the house to Albert and Esther L. Visaas (MLR 7664/130 and 131). The Visaas worked on the grounds and in the laundry at the Fernald School.

1957 The Visaas sold the house in 1957 to Bernard T. and Mary J. Demeo (MLR 8929/507). Bernard Demeo worked at Raytheon.