Dwight-Henderson House
Also known as: William Cullen Bryant 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
Built in 1759 on Main Street in Great Barrington, this white clapboard saltbox house was constructed by local carpenter Daniel Allen for General Joseph Dwight, a lawyer, militia colonel, judge and Speaker of the colonial Massachusetts House of Representatives. Dwight convened the town's first meeting in 1761. In 1777 the captured General John Burgoyne stayed here as a guest of the Dwight family. Later, under tanner Deacon Allen Henderson, the poet William Cullen Bryant courted Frances Fairchild and married her in the southeast front parlor on January 11, 1821. The house was moved behind a new inn in 1892 and relocated again after a 1966 fire, losing its high stone foundation but staying within 200 feet of its first site. It keeps a five-bay facade, Georgian doorway with fluted pilasters, and period paneling inside. It is the oldest intact building in town and now serves as motel rooms and offices.
Significance in brief: The house was the home of Brigadier General Joseph Dwight, a prominent legal, political and military figure in colonial Massachusetts. It was also the setting for the 1821 marriage of poet William Cullen Bryant. It is the oldest intact building in Great Barrington.
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 76000237, listed March 26, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Great Barrington |
|---|---|
| County | Berkshire County |
| Listed | March 26, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000237 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 |
| Architect / builder | Daniel Allen, carpenter |
| Architectural style | Georgian Saltbox |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; part of the Berkshire Motor Inn, used as motel rooms and office space, with interior paneling, wainscoting and fireplaces intact. Condition listed as excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Taconic and West Avenues Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.19161, -73.36511 (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 76000237.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5318098
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.