Cushing, Caleb, House and Farm
Why it's listed
Two houses on Pine Street in Rehoboth make up the Caleb Cushing farm. The older, a Georgian farmhouse built between about 1740 and 1770, is a two-story, five-bay, gable-roofed building with little post-Revolutionary detailing. It was abandoned for about seventy-five years before being restored around 1930, and it keeps original mantels, dado and some interior doors. The second house, dated 1836 by a carved rafter, is a five-bay by three-bay center-chimney cottage with a trabeated entrance and gable dormers, regarded as one of the town's best preserved transitional Federal-Greek Revival cottages. Tradition holds that it was built for a maiden aunt after a family conflict. Joseah Cushing established the farm around 1750, and it passed through David, Caleb and Edwin F. Cushing, who expanded the poultry and dairy business. The farm is valued for its architecture and for preserving the look of an 18th and 19th century farmstead.
Significance in brief: The 1836 cottage is described as one of Rehoboth's best preserved transitional Federal-Greek Revival cottages, meeting criterion C. The older house is a good example of a two-story, five-bay, gable-roofed house with little post-Revolutionary detailing, and the farmstead is remarkably intact. The farm was established in the mid-18th century and stayed in the Cushing family into the 20th century.
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 83000660, listed June 6, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 186 Pine St., Rehoboth |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | June 6, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000660 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Georgian (c. 1740-1770 farmhouse); Greek Revival, transitional Federal-Greek Revival (1836 cottage) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both houses are in present residential use. The older house was abandoned for about seventy-five years before being restored around 1930. The barn has been drastically altered and is not included in the nomination. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 41.85127, -71.28751 (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 83000660.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5019229
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.