Elm Cottage/Blanding Farm
Why it's listed
Elm Cottage, also called Blanding Farm, is a farmhouse and working farm complex on Broad Street in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. The two-story, five-bay Federal house dates to about 1800 and faces north, set some 200 feet back from the road. A one-and-one-half story east ell was added around 1840 and served as Dr. William Blanding's office. Most of the barns date from the ownership of William W. Blanding, about 1860 to 1885, and include a large cow barn and a stone wagon barn described as the largest of five stone-walled buildings in Rehoboth. An early 19th-century corn barn still stands on its original staddles. The Blanding family were prominent in this part of Rehoboth for about a century, and Dr. Blanding wrote a manuscript of reminiscences describing local houses around 1800. Because the farm has changed little since 1875 and keeps its open pasture, it records 19th-century dairy farming and rural life, and it was listed for its architecture, its farming history and its family associations.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house and farm show almost no significant change after 1875 and form an exceptional record of 19th-century farming technology and rural life. It is also tied to the prominent Blanding family. The large stone wagon barn is described as the biggest of five stone-walled buildings in Rehoboth, and the farm keeps its historic configuration and open pasture.
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 83000666, listed June 6, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 103 Broad St., Rehoboth |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | June 6, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000666 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence and farm complex; the owner lives in the house and the farm is leased for pasturing dry cows. The house is described as being in excellent original condition. |
| Acreage | 80 |
| Coordinates | 41.83825, -71.29047 (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 83000666.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5366261
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.