Clarke, Pitt, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1797 at 42 Mansfield Avenue in Norton, this two-and-one-half story clapboarded Georgian house was constructed as a parsonage for the Reverend Pitt Clarke, the town's third minister. Parishioners cleared the land, cut the lumber, built the house, dug the well and raised the stone walls that still surround the house and fields. The house has a five-bay facade, a center entrance with pilasters and a fanlight under a broken pediment, and four rooms on each of the first two floors around a central stairhall, each with its own fireplace. Clarke, a Harvard graduate, tutored students, prepared younger pupils for college, served as Norton's first librarian and ran a productive farm. The Freeman family owned the property for ninety-four years from 1856 and changed little. The house is valued as an example of the custom of a community supplying a minister's land and housing, and for its intact rural setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant to the community as an example of the early custom of a town providing land and housing for its minister. It was built by parishioners for the Reverend Pitt Clarke, Norton's third minister, who also taught, served as first town librarian and farmed. Its simple Colonial lines and intact rural setting are described as a visual reminder of Norton's past.
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 76000230, listed July 13, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 42 Mansfield Ave., Norton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 13, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000230 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 (specific date 1797) |
| Architectural style | Georgian (with Federal elements noted on the data sheet) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, occupied as a private residence, and altered little; only minor restoration was done after 1950. |
| Acreage | 31.6 |
| Coordinates | 41.96956, -71.19450 (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 76000230.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7199067
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.