Tobey, Josiah, House
Also known as: St. Anthony's Rectory
Why it's listed
Built in 1854 for Josiah Tobey and his wife Sarah Lewis, this Greek Revival farmhouse in East Falmouth, Massachusetts, has an L-shaped plan, a gable front and a one-story porch carried on four fluted columns. Wide entablatures with dentil moldings and corner pilasters mark the exterior. Few local farmhouses of the period had such a porch. The house later passed to John Crocker, a cranberry company manager whose operations drew Azorean and Cape Verdean workers from New Bedford, helping form a Portuguese-American community. For about 70 years it served as the rectory of St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church, which became a Portuguese National Church in 1923. In 1991 the church, facing the loss of the house to a new rectory, had it lifted and moved in one piece half a mile west to a hilltop. It was rehabilitated as a duplex with a new rear ell. Its architecture and its link to East Falmouth's agricultural and ethnic history support its listing.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to East Falmouth's shift from sheep raising to cranberry and strawberry farming and to the growth of its Portuguese-American community. It served for 70 years as the rectory of St. Anthony's Church, a Portuguese National Church from 1923. It is also a good rural example of Greek Revival style, with one of the most stylish columned porches in Falmouth.
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 94001496, listed December 9, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 67 Oxbow Rd., Falmouth |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | December 9, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001496 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1854-1944 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | European, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition after restoration; converted to a two-family residence and moved in 1991 to a new site. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 41.57820, -70.57518 (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 94001496.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6290640
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.