Fairbanks-Williams House
Why it's listed
This house at 19 Elm Street in Taunton, Massachusetts, was built in 1852-53 for W.W. Fairbanks to designs by architect Richard Upjohn. It is the only documented residence he designed in Taunton. The Italianate building follows a formal T-shaped plan with a boldly projecting central pavilion. Double-leaved entrance doors sit in segmental-arched surrounds and are sheltered by porches with arcades of stilted segmental arches on posts. Six-over-six sash windows have peaked, pedimented hoods, a box cornice with large blocks runs under the intersecting gable roof, and a central cupola with round-arched windows crowns the structure. Its local importance also comes from later owners. Abiathar King Williams, a textile manufacturer and businessman, lived here from 1865 to 1890, and Edward Lovering, president of Whittenton Mills, lived here from 1910 to 1940. The house is clapboard-sided, sits on a lot of about one acre, and is described as unaltered and unmoved. It is used today as apartments and a residence.
Significance in brief: It is the only documented residence designed by Richard Upjohn in Taunton. It is also linked to two locally prominent industrialists, Abiathar King Williams and Edward Lovering, who lived there from the mid 19th to the mid 20th century. The form says it meets criteria B and C and retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association.
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 84002116, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 19 Elm St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002116 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Richard Upjohn (form also lists Everhard Upjohn, Upjohn) |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is apartments and residence; the form records no alterations and no move. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 41.90371, -71.08553 (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 84002116.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5430007
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.