Brownell, Henry G., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1893 at 119 High Street in Taunton, this clapboard house was designed as a residence for Henry G. Brownell and constructed by local contractor-builder L.M. Witherell, who worked on a number of late 19th and early 20th century houses in the city. It is regarded as the most formal example of the Georgian Revival style in Taunton. Its features include a gambrel roof, a pavilion front, Palladian entrance and window treatments, column-supported porches, segmental-roofed dormers and paired corner pilasters topped with Scamozzi capitals. The building later became the home of the Taunton Lodge of Elks, and a frame addition was made in the twentieth century. It sits on a lot of one acre or less with a parking lot nearby. The house was listed for its architectural merit as an outstanding local example of its style, and it retains integrity of design, location, setting, materials, workmanship and association.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is the most formal example of Georgian Revival style in Taunton. It cites a gambrel roof, pavilion front, Palladian entrance and window treatments, and paired corner pilasters with Scamozzi capitals. It is also a notable work of local contractor-builder L.M. Witherell, and it retains integrity of design, location, setting, materials, workmanship and association.
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 84002095, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 119 High St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002095 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | L.M. Witherell, Builder |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as the Taunton Lodge of Elks; a frame addition was made in the 20th century. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.89951, -71.09636 (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 84002095.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715532
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.