Canedy, Squire William B., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1806 on North Main Street in Fall River's Steep Brook area, this two-and-a-half-story Federal house was constructed by William Barnabas Canedy when he married Susan Hughes Luther. Known as Squire Canedy, he served as postmaster at Steep Brook, sat in the General Court and was appointed to a committee that laid out the North Burial Ground in 1825. The couple had thirteen children, and all seven daughters taught in Fall River schools. Local tradition says the house served as a station on the Underground Railway. The shingled house is five bays wide with a chimney at each end and a central entrance with a semi-elliptical fanlight, slender pilasters and sidelights with panels beneath. It is one of six Steep Brook houses regarded as the best representatives of the city's pre-industrial period, reflecting the area's early prominence and agricultural character before textile mills transformed Fall River after 1811. It is still used as a single-family home.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a distinctive local example of Federal architecture, with its pilastered, elliptical fanlighted doorway, delicate cornice molding and full two-story height. It is also one of six Steep Brook houses considered the best surviving representatives of Fall River's pre-industrial, agricultural period, before the first textile mill in 1811.
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 83000640, listed February 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2634 N. Main St., Fall River |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000640 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | William Barnabas Canedy (Squire Wm. B. Canedy), original owner and builder |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is single family residence. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 41.71469, -71.13571 (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 83000640.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7582308
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.