Lord-Baylies-Bennett House
Why it's listed
Built in 1831 at 66 Winthrop Street in Taunton, this small Greek Revival house is made of uncoursed fieldstone, a material rarely used for homes in the city. A one-story portico of fluted columns and a paneled entablature wraps the 1½-story central-hall building. Tall parlor-floor windows, a central entrance with leaded transom and sidelights, and four tall paneled brick chimneys complete the design. Joseph L. Lord, Taunton's postmaster from 1829 to 1835, had it built as his residence. In 1836 it passed to Francis Baylies, a lawyer, judge, author and diplomat. Edmund Hatch Bennett, the city's first mayor, lived there from 1888 to 1898. The Masonic Corporation bought the property in 1959 for use as a hall and added a modern brick rear wing around 1960. The house was listed for its association with prominent 19th-century residents and for its well-preserved masonry architecture.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an unusually well-preserved Greek Revival cottage built in masonry, which is rare for residential architecture in Taunton. It is also significant as the home of several prominent 19th-century Taunton citizens, including Francis Baylies and Edmund Hatch Bennett, Taunton's first mayor.
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 84002165, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 66 Winthrop St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002165 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a Masonic Temple since 1959; a rear addition was built around 1960 and the main block remains in excellent preservation. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.89779, -71.09678 (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 84002165.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6678874
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.