Attleborough Falls Gasholder Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1874 at 380 Elm Street in Attleborough Falls, this round brick building once enclosed a coal gas storage tank for the North Attleborough Gas Light Company. It is 67 feet across and rises a single eighteen-foot story from a granite foundation to a conical slate roof topped by an octagonal cupola. Twelve bays are marked by pilasters, with corbeled brickwork at the roofline and brownstone lintels and sills, and a small hip-roofed entry faces the street corner. The detailing helped the industrial structure fit a largely residential neighborhood. The building is considered significant because only six intact examples are documented in Massachusetts and twelve in New England, and this one is among the least altered. It also reflects the village's growth, when jewelry manufacturing created demand for gas lighting. The iron tank was removed in 1951, the water pit survives only partly, and the interior brick has suffered water damage. The building is now vacant.
Significance in brief: It is one of only six documented intact gasholder buildings in Massachusetts and one of twelve extant in New England, and among the least altered examples of this rare building form. It is also tied to the North Attleborough Gas Light Company and the growth of Attleborough Falls as a jewelry manufacturing village.
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 96000848, listed August 1, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 380 Elm St., North Attleborough |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | August 1, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000848 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1874-1946 |
| Architectural style | Other: Panel Brick |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as vacant/not in use; the iron tank was removed in 1951 and interior masonry has deteriorated from humidity and water damage. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 41.97447, -71.31920 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 96000848.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4818569
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.