Coram Shipyard Historic District
Why it's listed
Along the west bank of the Taunton River in Dighton, this small district preserves the core of a colonial shipbuilding site. It includes the John Hathaway House (ca. 1700) and the Thomas Coram House (ca. 1699), two five-bay Georgian homes built close to Water Street, along with a rectangular stone wharf of about 50 by 75 feet dating from ca. 1698. Across the street, a yacht club clubhouse built around 1950 occupies part of the former shipyard, though the southern portion remains open grass and marsh. The Coram yard built mostly sloops and brigantines for coastal trade with the West Indies, and later yards on the same site were run by Bowen and Hathaway and by Smith and Wardwell. Shipbuilding in Dighton ended in 1874 with the launch of the William Cobb. The Coram House has lost much original fabric, but both homes still convey early settlement and maritime development, and the site may hold buried archeological evidence.
Significance in brief: The district is nominated for its role in Dighton's maritime history, shipbuilding and commerce from 1698 to 1885. The shipyard, wharf and two houses owned jointly by shipyard operators show early settlement and coastal trade with the West Indies. The houses also illustrate early Georgian design despite later alterations.
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 97000625, listed January 5, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2120, 2125, and 2130 Water St., Dighton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | January 5, 1998 |
| Reference number | 97000625 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1698-1885 |
| Architectural style | Colonial: Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Maritime History, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The two houses are in fair condition and are still used as dwellings. The shipyard site holds a yacht club clubhouse, and the wharf is used for recreational yachting. |
| Acreage | 2.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.81303, -71.11665 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 97000625.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5169630
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.