Atwood, Charles R., House
Why it's listed
Located at 30 Dean Street in Taunton, this clapboard house was built around 1850 in the Italianate style. Its L-shaped plan, with porches and entries set in the angle of the L, is described as an early use of that arrangement. The two-story house has intersecting gable roofs with deeply overhanging bracketed cornices, windows with heavy bracketed lintels, an arched window in the gable field and two oriels. It stands on a large, well-landscaped lot. The first occupant, Charles R. Atwood, was a businessman and community leader who served as treasurer and agent of the Phoenix Manufacturing Company, helped establish and direct Taunton's public parks, and wrote Reminiscences of Taunton in 1883. After his death the house passed to his son, Henry D. Atwood, and stayed in the family until the 1930s. The house was listed for its association with Atwood and as an important local example of Italianate design, and it retains its original location, design, setting, materials and workmanship.
Significance in brief: The house is a fine local example of the Italianate style and an early use of the L-plan with porches and entries at the L's angle. It is also tied to Charles R. Atwood, a prominent Taunton businessman, community leader and author. It is judged to meet criteria B 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 84002087, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 30 Dean St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002087 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; the form lists no major alterations and says the building has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.90399, -71.08258 (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 84002087.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5081803
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.