Bowen, Nathan, House
Why it's listed
Built about 1785 on Kelton Street in Rehoboth, this two-and-one-half story, five-bay house with a center entrance was designed as two residential units. Each floor has a full keeping room fireplace with a bake oven, and the downstairs unit is slightly larger. Interior details survive largely intact, including Doric-pilastered mantels, graining on a door and the staircase, and a saw-cut decorative stair string. The front facade carries a dentil cornice and a doorway with fanlight, pediment and flanking Doric pilasters. The attic windows keep their original twelve-over-twelve sashes. The land was held by the Kelton and Bowen families in the 18th century, and Nathan Bowen owned land and a house here before 1775. The property stayed in Bowen hands until the late 1800s. It is considered one of Rehoboth's few pure Federal period houses, and for its preserved architecture it qualifies under criterion C. A large, old dump near a swamp behind the house may be as old as the building, which suggests archaeological potential.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding and unusual example of well-developed Federal period architecture in Rehoboth, one of the town's few pure Federal houses. It is noted for the quality of its detail and its excellent preservation with no major alterations. It meets criterion C, and on present knowledge potentially criterion D because of an old, apparently undisturbed dump behind the house.
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 83000633, listed June 6, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 26 Kelton St., Rehoboth |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | June 6, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000633 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a two-family residence, as originally built; the form reports no major alterations and excellent preservation. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 41.83081, -71.22922 (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 83000633.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6968918
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.