Sampson's Folly-Josiah Sampson House
Why it's listed
Sampson's Folly, also called the Josiah Sampson House, is a Federal style dwelling at 40 Old King's Road in Cotuit, part of Barnstable, Massachusetts. Dated to 1807, it is a five-bay, two-story clapboard house under a hip roof with a monitor and twin interior chimneys. A two-story, three-bay ell extends to the west. Corner quoins, a narrow cornice and 6/6 sash give it a restrained finish. The main entry has sidelights but no fan or porch, and the form suggests a porch was removed. It is described as the finest Federal period house in Cotuit and one of the best in the town. Josiah Sampson, a gentleman farmer, lived here, and the property later passed through his family. It became a two-family house, a dairy farm, and a clubhouse and inn in the 1940s and 1950s. It was restored as a single family home in 1976. Reviewers accepted it as an outstanding local example of Federal architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the finest example of Federal period architecture in Cotuit and one of the finest in the town. It is also associated with the wealthy Sampson family. The form cites criteria B and C in one version and criterion C alone in another; the reviewer accepted it under criterion C.
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 87000326, listed September 18, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 40 Old King's Rd., Barnstable |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | September 18, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000326 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent; restored as a single family home in 1976 and now a dwelling. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 41.63032, -70.44751 (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 87000326.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7410202
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.