{"nrhp_refnum":"90000067","name":"Luther, William, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"79 Old Warren Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Swansea","county":"Bristol County","state":"MA","lat":41.74622481800003,"lon":-71.22051972899999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1990-02-16","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Agriculture","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 1½-story, five-bay, center-chimney Greek Revival cape at 79 Old Warren Road in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts, built about 1849 by an unknown architect.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the house is an intact, late example of the traditional Swansea cape form, built in the Greek Revival style (Criterion C). It is also a farmstead tied to the locally prominent Luther family and later the Buffington family, who contributed to life at Swansea Center (Criterion A). Significance is local.","narrative":"Built around 1849 at 79 Old Warren Road in Swansea, this 1½-story, five-bay, center-chimney cape is a late example of a house type built in the town since the mid-18th century. Greek Revival details set it apart from earlier capes: a clapboard facade, shingled side and rear walls, cornerboards, 6/6 window sash and a vertical board entry door without glazing. A rear ell and covered porch were added in the late 19th or early 20th century. William Luther bought the lot in 1848 and sold it a year later with a dwelling. The Luther family kept scattered farms and were known for commercial buildings at nearby Luther's Corner. The Buffington family acquired the house in 1879 and held it until 1946. Deacon Stephen Buffington served in the Legislature, belonged to the Christian Church for 76 years and was known for his gardens and handmade baskets. His descendant George ran a blacksmith shop at Luther's Corner. The house is considered locally significant for its architecture and for these associations.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Greek Revival","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Condition described as good; in use as a residence, with a garage dating to about 1920.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:13:05.016478-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/11/7896/63789611/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/90000067.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63789611","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Luther_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8014796"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/bristol-county/luther-william-house-90000067/"}