Fire Barn
Also known as: Falls Fire Station No. 2
Why it's listed
Built in 1893 on Commonwealth Avenue in Attleborough Falls, this wood-frame fire station housed a horse-drawn wagon and ladder truck for the municipal fire district created the year before. It has a gable-roofed main block and a four-story corner tower serving as stairwell and bell tower, topped by an open belfry with Tuscan columns. The facade is its showpiece: vertical panelling, Doric pilasters, a wide entablature, two large arched apparatus doors and three round-arched windows with lancet tracery. Later changes include asphalt siding, modern garage doors and an enclosed stairway. The building reflects the civic improvements that followed North Attleborough's incorporation in 1887, including water service and a Gamewell fire alarm network. It is one of few surviving late 19th-century municipal buildings in the town and the only one in Attleborough Falls. Vacant since 1977, it remains a local landmark, and the town hopes to restore it as a fire-fighting museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an unusually monumental wood-frame design and a locally important example of classically inspired architecture. It also represents the civic improvements that followed North Attleborough's incorporation and the town's modern fire protection system. It meets criteria A and 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 82004960, listed January 28, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Commonwealth Ave., North Attleborough |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | January 28, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004960 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893 |
| Architectural style | Eclectic Classical design combining Renaissance-inspired and Doric/Tuscan motifs in a vernacular composition |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since 1977; the town hopes to restore it as a fire-fighting museum. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.97142, -71.31402 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 82004960.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5432477
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.