{"nrhp_refnum":"86000510","name":"Twitchell, Joseph, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"32 Pleasant St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Sherborn","county":"Middlesex County","state":"MA","lat":42.23206013300006,"lon":-71.40108010199998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1986-01-03","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-and-a-half-story First Period farmhouse at 32 Pleasant Street in the rural western part of Sherborn, Massachusetts, built around 1710 (possibly 1690), probably by farmer Joseph Twitchell, Jr.","why_significant":"The house is a well-preserved example of the evolution from a First Period dwelling to a Georgian-style structure, and it is one of about half a dozen Sherborn houses that may date to the First Period. It retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship, and it keeps its association with local agricultural life.","narrative":"Located on Pleasant Street in the quiet western part of Sherborn, this farmhouse dates to about 1710, although a 1690 date is painted on its chimney. It was probably built by farmer Joseph Twitchell, Jr., on his father's land. The house has a saltbox profile, a single-pile central-hall plan, two and a half stories, and a large brick chimney set on the ridge. Inside, a beveled-edge summer beam and two sets of rafters show that the roof was raised. Twitchell descendants enlarged the house in the mid 18th century and added a Georgian center entry with pilasters and a six-pane transom. An end-gabled ell was added around 1800. A mid-19th-century barn with a cupola stands nearby. The property was farmed into the 20th century and is now a gentleman's farm. It is valued as a well-preserved example of the shift from First Period to Georgian building, and it keeps its rural setting. Only the area around the house and outbuildings was nominated.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":"Probably Joseph Twitchell, Jr., farmer","architectural_style":"First Period, with Georgian-style alterations","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"In continuous use as a residence since its construction; house and barn recently restored; now a gentleman's farm estate.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:11:57.301184-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/69/7907/63790769/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/86000510.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86000510/2884acd029-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86000510/2884acd029-1600.webp","licence":"CC0","author":"Daderot","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Twitchell_House_-_Sherborn,_Massachusetts_-_DSC02990.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Daderot</a>, <a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Twitchell_House_-_Sherborn,_Massachusetts_-_DSC02990.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63790769","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Twitchell_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6287528"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/middlesex-county/twitchell-joseph-house-86000510/"}