Colby, Samuel, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1869 at 74 Winthrop Street in Taunton, this two-story house with attic blends Italianate and Stick Style features. Its stucco walls are divided into bays by slightly projecting pilasters, and a low-pitched hipped roof carries a large cupola with stickwork motifs. The same woodwork appears most boldly in the porches on both the main block and the rear ell, while tall one-over-one windows are shielded by small hoods set on feet. Samuel Colby, a manufacturer and retailer of men's and boys' clothing with a store in the Union Block on Main Street, bought the estate lot in 1868 and had the house built the following year. It stands among high-style homes built for Taunton's business and political elite in the late nineteenth century. The house is recognized as one of the most intact post-Civil War residences in the city, with preserved location, design, setting, materials and workmanship, and as a fine example of eclectic high-style architecture.
Significance in brief: The form describes it as one of the most intact post-Civil War residences standing in Taunton. It sits in an area of high-style houses built for the town's business and political elite. It is argued to meet criterion C as one of Taunton's finest, well-preserved and finely crafted eclectic high-style residences of its period.
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 84002103, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 74 Winthrop St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002103 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate/Stick Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; the form reports no alterations and no outbuildings. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.89727, -71.09803 (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 84002103.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7411134
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.