Johnson, J. V., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1913 at 36 Riverview Avenue on Gardner's Neck in South Swansea, this 1½-story house is a bungalow with Prairie-style influences. Its fieldstone walls and tile roof set it apart from the wood-clad houses typical of Swansea. Other features include a low-pitched hipped roof, wide overhanging eaves, bands of casement dormer windows, exposed rafters, multi-pane awning sash on the first floor, and terracotta panels with stylized floral patterns in a Sullivanesque manner. The builder was A. H. Leeming & Sons, a Fall River contractor and developer; the architect is not known. The house sits on a sizable, tree-shaded lot on the road toward the Lees River and is in excellent condition. A ca. 1925 garage contributes to the property. In the early twentieth century Swansea was shifting from agriculture, boatbuilding and fishing toward suburban and resort use, and Gardner's Neck saw much development before World War I. The house was listed for its architecture as a well-preserved, locally significant Prairie-style example.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a well-preserved, locally significant example of Prairie-style architecture, notable for its fieldstone walls and tile roof, which contrast with Swansea's mostly wood-clad homes. The reviewers accepted it under Criterion C only; the earlier claim under Criterion A (suburbanization) was dropped on resubmission.
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 90000069, listed August 8, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 36 Riverview Ave., Swansea |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | August 8, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000069 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; builder A. H. Leeming & Sons (Alfred H. Leeming) |
| Architectural style | Prairie-influenced (bungalow house type) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in excellent condition and in use as a residence; rear porch enclosed ca. 1920; a ca. 1925 garage is counted as contributing. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 41.71541, -71.20239 (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 90000069.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6107290
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.