Bliss, Daniel, Homestead
Why it's listed
Set in northwest Rehoboth, this Georgian farmhouse at 76 Homestead Avenue dates to about 1750 and anchored a dairy farm for more than two centuries. Daniel Bliss acquired the land in the 1738 Land Division, the last part of town to be settled, and the Bliss family held the property from 1738 to 1968. The house has a two-story center chimney plan, a five-bay facade and two 19th-century ells. Its interior was once stripped of detail, but the original paneling, labelled and stored in an outbuilding, was found and reinstalled around 1970. Several farm structures remain grouped around the house. The farm grew to several hundred acres, and by 1895 the family was listed in an atlas of Bristol County as engaged in the milk business. Later generations sold milk in Pawtucket, raised turkeys and cut ice from a nearby pond. The property was listed for its architecture and for its long association with a leading farming family.
Significance in brief: The form calls it one of Rehoboth's most outstanding Georgian houses, with well-crafted detail and quality restoration, and a well-preserved farm complex showing 18th-century vernacular and 19th-century farm building traits (criterion C). It is also tied to the Bliss family, early Rehoboth settlers who became among the most successful local dairy farmers by the late 19th century (criteria A and B).
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 83000626, listed June 6, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 76 Homestead Ave., Rehoboth |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | June 6, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000626 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by Daniel Bliss |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; the original use was a residence at the center of a dairy farm. Original interior woodwork that had been removed was found and reinstalled around 1970. |
| Acreage | 3.7 |
| Coordinates | 41.87884, -71.26416 (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 83000626.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5216582
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.