Briggs, George I., House
Also known as: Briggs-McDermott House
Why it's listed
This 2-1/2 story wood frame house on Sandwich Road in Bourne began around 1800 as a 1-1/2 story Cape-style cottage, believed built by Josephus Keene. About 1830 his son Moses Keene II, a carpenter, raised the roof, added an east ell and gave it Greek Revival detailing. The paneled corner pilasters and entry frame appear to follow plates in Asher Benjamin's The Practical House Carpenter, a copy of which remains in the house. A rear ell was added about 1880. George I. Briggs, Moses Keene's son-in-law, lived here. He helped incorporate Bourne in 1884, served as first chairman of the school committee, and was a selectman from 1893 to 1905. Marine artist George Sidney Raleigh, a neighbor, stenciled a ceiling mural in the music room, the only Raleigh ceiling known to survive in town. The house is owned by the Town of Bourne and is listed as unoccupied.
Significance in brief: The house is a good vernacular example of Greek Revival style, with cornerpilasters and an entry frame drawn from Asher Benjamin's pattern book. It is associated with George I. Briggs, a leading figure in the creation and early government of the town of Bourne. It also holds the only surviving stenciled ceiling by marine artist George Sidney Raleigh in the town.
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 81000119, listed September 10, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Sandwich Rd., Bourne |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | September 10, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000119 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Moses Keene II (ca. 1830) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (vernacular) |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied and owned by the Town of Bourne; the form describes the building as altered but on its original site. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.74200, -70.59697 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 81000119.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5540910
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.