Bliss, Abiah, House
Why it's listed
Located at 154 Agricultural Avenue in Rehoboth, this farmhouse is among the oldest still standing in the town. Tradition holds that Jonathan Bliss built it in 1666, but architectural details such as gunstock corner posts date it to before 1740. A central chimney and several fireplaces remain. An addition to the north, made in the early to mid 18th century, followed the original lines of the house. Later additions at the south end have not changed its basic form since about 1860. Beside it stand a late 19th century dairy barn with a gambrel roof and an 18th century broadaxed timber-frame barn forming the ell. In 1754 Deacon Ephraim Bliss gave the 50-acre property to his son Abiah, and the land has stayed in the family as a working farm. Family members also founded the Bliss Brother's Dairy in Attleboro. The house was listed for its architecture and its illustration of changing building forms.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the earliest surviving houses in Rehoboth and shows how architectural form evolved over time in a conservative setting. The original house and barn were enlarged but not obscured by later construction. It meets criterion 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 83000625, listed June 6, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 154 Agricultural Ave., Rehoboth |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | June 6, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000625 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; tradition credits Jonathan Bliss as builder |
| Architectural style | First period |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; the property has remained an active farm in the Bliss family. |
| Acreage | 12 |
| Coordinates | 41.88891, -71.27438 (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 83000625.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4667540
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.