House at 30 Kelton Street
Why it's listed
This farmhouse at 30 Kelton Street in Rehoboth dates to about 1835 and is built in the Greek Revival style. It sits on a rise about 100 feet from the road, with its gable flank facing the street. A center entrance with sidelights and flanking Doric pilasters opens onto a straight staircase and central hall. Two enclosed end chimneys and a third chimney at the kitchen ell give the house its plan, and its unusual L-shaped cellar served as a summer kitchen, with a fireplace, boiler and two bake ovens. Farm outbuildings include a garage, a shed and a turn-of-the-century horse barn, plus a barn foundation, stone corn crib supports and a stone-lined well. Map evidence suggests L. Bowen owned it in 1850 and 1871, and Edward L. Tracy by 1895. It was listed as Rehoboth's most outstanding end chimney Greek Revival cottage, showing how an older cottage form became a 19th century farmhouse.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is Rehoboth's most outstanding example of an end chimney Greek Revival cottage, reflecting its origin as a farmhouse. It shows the evolution of the 18th century center chimney cottage type into a characteristically 19th century structure. It meets criterion C individually.
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 83000682, listed June 6, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 30 Kelton St., Rehoboth |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | June 6, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000682 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; possibly built by L. Bowen, who owned it in 1850 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence at the time of recording; some interior alterations and a closet added upstairs. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 41.83078, -71.23031 (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 83000682.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914219
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.