Ingalls-Wheeler-Horton Homstead Site
Why it's listed
This property at 214 Chestnut Street in Rehoboth combines an archaeological site with a well-preserved farmhouse. Benjamin Ingalls built the original homestead about 1730, and it passed through the Ingalls and Wheeler families. Captain Philip Wheeler Jr., a local militia officer, was fatally injured during training in 1774, after which the land was surveyed and divided among his children. A surveyor's sketch from that December shows a large center-chimney, three-story house with a hip roof. Around the end of the 19th century the Hortons moved into a newer house nearer the road, and the old homestead decayed and collapsed in the early 1900s. Digging by the present owners has turned up early 18th century ceramics, suggesting good archaeological potential. The newer house is a 1½-story, central-entry, five-room Late Greek Revival dwelling with Italianate details, a bracketed hood over etched-glass double doors, and largely original interior finishes. It is considered one of Rehoboth's best-preserved farm cottages.
Significance in brief: The form argues the site has good archaeological potential to inform the history of an early homestead continuously occupied for about 250 years. The standing 1½-story house is also described as one of Rehoboth's most outstanding and best-preserved examples of a spare, functional farm cottage, and the form says it meets criterion 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 83000684, listed June 6, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 214 Chestnut St., Rehoboth |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | June 6, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000684 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; original owner of the current house was Simeon Horton; earlier house built by Benjamin Ingalls |
| Architectural style | Late Greek Revival with Italianate details |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The earlier homestead decayed and collapsed in the early 1900s; the present house is a private residence and is described as relatively unaltered. |
| Acreage | 3.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.81723, -71.24633 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 83000684.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6031839
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.