{"nrhp_refnum":"78000427","name":"Bristol County Courthouse Complex","other_names":[],"category":"district","location":{"address":"9, 11, 15 Court St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Taunton","county":"Bristol County","state":"MA","lat":41.90257250000005,"lon":-71.09430411912747,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-03-28","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Law","Politics/Government","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A district of three public buildings at 9, 11 and 15 Court Street in downtown Taunton, Massachusetts, facing Taunton Green: a Greek Revival courthouse (1826), a Richardsonian Romanesque Superior Courthouse (1894) and a Georgian Revival Registry of Deeds (1918).","why_significant":"The complex is significant for its architectural prominence and its role in Taunton's governmental history. Each building is described as the finest local example of its style: Greek Revival, Richardsonian Romanesque and Georgian Revival. Together they form an impressive civic group at the center of the city.","narrative":"Three county buildings stand together on about two acres along Court Street in downtown Taunton, opposite the town common. The oldest is the First District Courthouse, a two-story brick Greek Revival building of 1826 with an Ionic portico and octagonal cupola. It was moved west in 1894 to make room for the Superior Courthouse, a rough-faced granite Richardsonian Romanesque design by Frank Irving Cooper, topped by a 170-foot central tower and copper dome. Between them sits the Registry of Deeds, a brick Georgian Revival building with granite trim, designed by Albion Marble of Fall River and completed in 1918. Taunton became shire town of Bristol County after a boundary dispute with Rhode Island, and earlier courthouses were built on the site in 1746, 1772 and 1826. The group was recognized because each building is considered the best Taunton example of its style, and together they form a cohesive civic center.","period_of_significance":"1826, 1894, 1918","architect_builder":"Frank Irving Cooper (Superior Courthouse, 1894); Albion Marble of Fall River (Registry of Deeds, 1918)","architectural_style":"Greek Revival; Richardsonian Romanesque; Georgian Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Marked as occupied, publicly owned (Bristol County) and in government use. The First District Courthouse was moved west in 1894 and has a later rear addition.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:11:54.023369-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/38/7945/63794538/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/78000427.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78000427/739c0da12b-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78000427/739c0da12b-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger)","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bristol_Superior_Court_Taunton.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger)</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bristol_Superior_Court_Taunton.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63794538","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_County_Courthouse_Complex","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4968884"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/bristol-county/bristol-county-courthouse-complex-78000427/"}