Earle, John M., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1870 at 352 Durfee Street in Fall River, this two-story, flat-roofed clapboard house was first occupied by John M. Earle, a carpenter who bought the lot in 1869. It is regarded as one of the city's most elaborately detailed wood-frame Italianate houses. Alternating quoins mark the corners and a central pavilion, which has an enclosed Eastlakian porch of unusual richness with a three-part stained glass window above. Bay windows on both side facades carry the same strap ornament and brackets as the porch. A wide cornice with exaggerated double brackets and a square cupola finish the building. Because Earle was a carpenter, the form speculates that he or his associates may have applied the lavish trim. The house stands in a neighborhood that was once more fashionable and has since been affected by commercial growth downtown. It was listed for its architectural distinction, as a richly detailed and largely intact example of the Italianate style.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of the city's most elaborately detailed wood-frame Italianate houses. It is largely intact and richly ornamented, with alternating quoins, an Eastlakian porch, and a wide double-bracketed cornice. It meets Criterion C as a distinctive example of the Italianate style.
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 83000665, listed February 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 352 Durfee St., Fall River |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000665 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate Villa |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded in 1980 as in residential use; described as largely intact, in a neighborhood affected by downtown commercial encroachment. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.71614, -71.15668 (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 83000665.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1587621
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.