Crocker, Ebenezer, Jr., House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Set on 4.2 acres in the village of Cotuit, this late Georgian farmhouse at 49 Putnam Avenue was probably built around 1783 for Ebenezer Crocker Jr., a two-term state legislator. It is a shingled, 2½-story building with a gable roof, two interior chimneys, a five-bay facade and mostly original 6/6 windows. Later owners included the Boston merchant Samuel Hooper, who became Cotuit's first summer resident, and the Lowell family. Visitors included Charles Sumner, and Hooper's niece Marian spent her honeymoon with Henry Adams there. A porch was added in the nineteenth century, and window changes were made in 1892. Four contributing outbuildings survive: a workshop, an ice house with woodshed, a c1794 barn and a c1850 board-and-batten cottage. Together they make the property one of the two best preserved farmsteads in the town, and they reflect both Cotuit's farming past and its summer resort era.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites associations with the Crocker, Hooper and Lowell families, and with Cotuit's agricultural and summer resort history. It also values the house as a fine Georgian building whose rural landscape and numerous outbuildings are preserved, making it one of the two best preserved farmsteads 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 87000323, listed November 10, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 49 Putnam Ave., Barnstable |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | November 10, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000323 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Late Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is given as excellent; it is described as a present dwelling. Two later outbuildings in deteriorated condition are noted as non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 4.2 |
| Coordinates | 41.62149, -70.43363 (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 87000323.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5331672
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.