Atwood, Thomas, House
Also known as: Atwood-Higgins House
Why it's listed
Set on Boundbrook Island beside the Herring River in Wellfleet, this Cape Cod double house began as a half-house of unknown date. Family accounts and antiquarians place its origin anywhere from about 1635 to 1680, and a deed of 1805 already called it an old house. Thomas Atwood bought it that year, and it had become a double house by about 1800. The frame building has clapboard siding, shingled gable ends, a center chimney, nine-over-six windows and a wooden shingle roof. After receiving the house in 1919, descendant George K. Higgins restored it, replacing only decayed wood and keeping the original character. He recorded the work in a detailed manuscript. The nomination presents the house as an excellent early example of the Cape Cod style and possibly the oldest on the Lower Cape. Reviewers limited the listing to the house itself and excluded the newer outbuildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a very early and typical example of the Cape Cod house style, possibly the oldest on the Lower Cape. It was carefully restored from 1919 by descendant George K. Higgins, who documented the work. The island is also described as the original site of the Town of Wellfleet.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 76000154, listed July 30, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Wellfleet on Boundbrook Island, Wellfleet |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | July 30, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000154 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 17th and 18th centuries; a half-house, a double house by 1800 |
| Architectural style | Cape Cod Double House |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered, on its original site. Preservation work is in progress, and Mr. Higgins holds a life tenancy as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 24 |
| Coordinates | 41.95628, -70.05848 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 76000154.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7787206
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.