Blackinton Houses and Park
Also known as: Blackintonville
Why it's listed
Blackinton Houses and Park is a small district beside the Bungay River and Blackinton Pond in Attleboro, Massachusetts. It includes the 1849 Greek Revival house of Col. Willard Blackinton, with a rear ell and large barn, and a nearby double house built shortly afterward for his sons Charles and John. A small public park, a stone memorial bridge and a flagpole complete the group. Blackinton founded a shuttle shop here in 1827 that made shuttles for power looms, driven by Attleboro's first water turbine on the pond; the original dam survives. He also served as a state legislator and bank president. His sons continued the shuttle business and later moved into cotton thread and jewelry manufacturing. The park was given to the city in 1937 by the family of the first mayor and dedicated to World War I veterans. The listing joins family architecture, early industry and twentieth century town planning.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the houses are significant for their architecture and their link to the Blackinton family and its early 19th-century industrial work, especially a shuttle shop for power looms founded in 1827. It also cites the 1930s park as an example of early twentieth century town planning that presented the town's colonial past in an idealized setting.
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 79000326, listed April 20, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N. Main St., Attleboro |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | April 20, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000326 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Willard Blackinton |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (Col. Willard Blackinton House) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Landscape Architecture, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rated in good condition and occupied. The Blackinton House is on well maintained grounds, and its barn has been converted to light industry. The park is public land. |
| Acreage | 5.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.95031, -71.29096 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 79000326.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4923038
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.