Carpenter, Christopher, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1800 at 60 Carpenter Street in Rehoboth, this five-bay Federal house is organized around a central chimney and entrance. The doorway has fluted pilasters supporting a pediment, topped by a fanlight with unusually delicate tracery and a central keystone motif. Inside, the east parlor has mitered moldings, and dentiled cornices appear on both floors. The central chimney has a bake oven on each story, and a two-story kitchen ell on the east end holds a full fireplace and another bake oven. Window sashes are replacement copies. The land came from Deacon Thomas Carpenter, who gave thirty-five acres to his grandson Christopher (1762-1840) about 1800. An older house stood on the property and may have been remodeled as his home, and there is some evidence the present building incorporates part of it. Possibly designed by Thomas Carpenter III, it is described as one of Rehoboth's finest Federal period houses and a clear rural example of the style. Small outbuildings from the 19th century and later remain nearby.
Significance in brief: The house is considered one of Rehoboth's finest Federal period houses and a clear example of that style in a rural setting. It has a five-bay, center chimney and entrance plan with pure Federal details such as a pedimented doorway and a delicate fanlight. It is also one of two houses on Carpenter Street built by members of the Carpenter family around 1800.
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 83000643, listed June 6, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 60 Carpenter St., Rehoboth |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | June 6, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000643 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | possibly Thomas Carpenter III |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is as a residence; a number of small 19th century and later outbuildings stand on both sides of Carpenter Street. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 41.85605, -71.25106 (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 83000643.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5112067
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.