Higgins, Jedediah, House
Why it's listed
This 1½-story full Cape house on Higgins Hollow Road in North Truro is a 19th-century example of a form that began on Cape Cod in the late 17th century. It measures 29 by 34 feet, faces south, and has post and beam construction on brick footings with a circular cellar. The south wall is clapboarded, the other sides are shingled, and a central entry is flanked by two windows on each side. Inside, wide floorboards, raised panel work and Federal style sunken panelling survive from the early 19th century. A shed dormer and a rear ell were added around 1950, but they are identifiable and consistent with traditional changes to Cape houses. The house was listed because its facade, floor plan and interior finishes are largely intact, and because it ranks among the least altered 19th-century Cape houses owned by the Park Service within the seashore. It also recalls the farms that once covered Truro's now reforested fields.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a representative example of the 19th-century Cape Cod double house, with an intact central facade, floor plan and interior finishes. It is described as one of the least altered such houses among those the Park Service owns. It is also a reminder of the farming settlement that once dominated the Truro countryside.
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 84000550, listed November 21, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 26 Higgins Hollow Rd., North Truro |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | November 21, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000550 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | 19th-century Cape Cod style house (full Cape / double house) with Federal style interior panel work |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and altered, on its original site, with a modern shed dormer (ca 1950) and a one-story ell (ca 1950). |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Coordinates | 42.00994, -70.05118 (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 84000550.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6172725
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.