Drown, Nathaniel, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1750 at 116 Summer Street in Rehoboth, this Georgian house has a gambrel roof and clapboard walls, and sits about 75 feet back from the road on a small rise. Gambrel houses of this period were once common in the town, but only a handful remain, and this one is among the least altered. Restoration revealed original flooring, fireplaces and feather-edged panelling in two second-floor walls. Some of the chestnut panelling and flooring documents the local onset of chestnut blight. Other original details include horsehair plaster, pegged window casements, cased posts and simple panelled mantels. Evidence suggests the western half may be older than the eastern half. A small west ell, probably mid-nineteenth century, and a rear addition of about 1935 are the main changes. A pre-1840 barn and a carriage shed also survive. The builder is unknown. Nathaniel Drown owned the house during the Revolution and sold it in 1785. It was listed for its architectural integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the least altered mid-eighteenth-century gambrel houses in Rehoboth, a once-numerous type now down to a handful. Recent restoration uncovered original flooring, fireplaces and feather-edged panelling. It meets criterion C.
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 83000663, listed June 6, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 116 Summer St., Rehoboth |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | June 6, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000663 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; the form describes the house as well preserved, with a pre-1840 barn and mid-nineteenth century carriage shed in good condition. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 41.84140, -71.25850 (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 83000663.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6969584
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.