Ashley House
Also known as: "Aunt Polly's House"
Why it's listed
Built about 1790-1800 at 3159 North Main Street in Fall River, this two-story house with a gable roof was the home of the Ashley family. Local tradition holds that five generations of Ashleys owned and lived in it, and it was often called "Aunt Polly's House." The five-bay front follows an 18th-century farmhouse pattern, updated with Federal period features: a doorway with reeded pilasters, a broken pediment and a semicircular fanlight, plus splayed lintels over the first-floor windows. Two side chimneys suggest a center hall plan. Granite steps and a terraced hillside with retaining walls also survive. The house is one of six in the Steep Brook area regarded as the best examples of Fall River's pre-industrial period, before the first textile mill was built in 1813. Its rural setting recalls the city's agricultural origins. It was listed for its architecture and its link to early settlement.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding local example of the Federal style, with a fine pedimented doorway, fanlight and splayed wooden lintels. It is one of six houses in the Steep Brook area considered the best representatives of Fall River's pre-industrial period. It meets criteria A and 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 83000621, listed February 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3159 Main St., Fall River |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000621 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed present use is single family residence; exterior walls are covered in asbestos shingle. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.73939, -71.12986 (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 83000621.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4805480
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.