Buffington, Deacon John, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1790 on Cedar Avenue in Swansea, this gabled, 2½-story house follows the three-quarter plan, with a four-bay facade and the entry and brick chimney in the third bay. Its Georgian vernacular design is plain, showing only thin cornerboards, slightly articulated first-floor window heads and a simple board door surround. A two-story rear ell, probably from the mid-19th century, extends to the north. The house is considered significant as one of the best preserved examples of this form in Swansea. Its earliest documented owner, John Buffington, was deacon of the Christian Church at Swansea Center. His daughter married Elder William Miller, the church pastor, and at least three generations of Millers lived here, farming and fishing. The Buffington family, descended from Thomas Bovanton, who emigrated from Wales about 1671, helped found the first Friends Meeting in Swansea in 1701 and built several homesteads near Cedar Avenue.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house meets Criterion C at the local level as one of the best preserved and few intact examples of the three-quarter house form in Swansea. It also notes ties to the Buffington family, who were important in Swansea's development, and to Deacon John Buffington and the Miller family.
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 90000056, listed February 16, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 262 Cedar Ave., Swansea |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000056 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Georgian vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, unmoved, and still used as a residence. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 41.74034, -71.21767 (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 90000056.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5245025
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.