Towne Farm
Why it's listed
Towne Farm is a farmstead of 16.9 acres in the southwest corner of Boxford, Massachusetts, split by Towne Road. Its centerpiece is a two-story, five-bay Federal-style farmhouse built in 1790 by Asa Towne, with a central chimney and an interior that retains wide floorboards, hand-split lath and horse-hair plaster. Nearby stand an 1858 carriage house, a barn enlarged in the late 19th century from a ca. 1790 tie-beam frame, and a garage built in phases around the early 1900s. South of the road are a 1902 pumphouse with windmill frame and a 1907 water tower, which once supplied the house by gravity. Hiram N. Towne, who built a large lumber business while keeping the farm active, added many of these improvements. Stone walls frame the yard and road. The surrounding land was once Towne property, and the site may also hold archaeological remains of an earlier farmstead.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Styles | Early Republic / Federal |
|---|---|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture, Community Planning and Development |
| Acreage | 16.9 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Towne Farm (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.