{"nrhp_refnum":"83000570","name":"Simond, Col. Benjamin, House","other_names":["River Bend Farm"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"643 Simonds Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Williamstown","county":"Berkshire County","state":"MA","lat":42.72981957700006,"lon":-73.20520056899994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1983-09-01","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Historic - Non-Aboriginal","Military","Exploration/Settlement","Politics/Government","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-and-a-half story Georgian farmhouse, known as River Bend Farm, at 643 Simonds Road (Route 7), about 1½ miles north of Williamstown Center, Massachusetts, built around 1770 on a 1.64-acre parcel with a late 19th century barn and milk house.","why_significant":"The house is a fine example of rural New England Georgian architecture and one of three intact mid-18th century farmhouses remaining in Williamstown. It is also tied to Colonel Benjamin Simond, a leader in the town's early settlement who commanded a regiment at the Battle of Bennington and fought at White Plains. The land may also hold archaeological deposits, both historic and prehistoric.","narrative":"Built around 1770 on the north side of the Hoosic River, this Georgian farmhouse in Williamstown, Massachusetts, is a five-bay, central-chimney, timber-frame dwelling with clapboard siding and a rear ell. Inside, early cupboards, wainscoting, raised panelling and a kitchen fireplace with a beehive oven survive. A late 19th century barn and milk house stand nearby. The house was built for Colonel Benjamin Simond, born in 1726, who was captured at Fort Massachusetts in 1746 and later settled in the area. He helped incorporate Williamstown in 1765, built the block house in 1754, helped plan the first church, and oversaw construction of West College at Williams College in 1790. He commanded the Second Berkshire County Regiment at Bennington, White Plains and Stone Arabia. The house is one of three intact mid-18th century farmhouses in town, and the surrounding land may hold historic and prehistoric archaeological remains.","period_of_significance":"1770","architect_builder":"Unknown","architectural_style":"Georgian","criteria":["A","B","C"],"status_note":"Listed in excellent condition, occupied and used as a private residence; the form notes some alterations to the main entry and the slate roof covering.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:11:57.211997-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/50/7941/63794150/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/83000570.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83000570/816030e26e-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83000570/816030e26e-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Hoosickhistory","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SimondsTavern.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Hoosickhistory</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SimondsTavern.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63794150","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Col._Benjamin_Simond_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5141755"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/berkshire-county/simond-col-benjamin-house-83000570/"}