Marvel, Theodore L., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1883, this house at 188 Berkley Street in Taunton is a late 19th century estate drawing on the Shingle Style houses of seaside towns. It was most likely built as the residence of Theodore L. Marvel, shortly after he bought the land from Mary Marvel in 1882. The irregularly shaped house has a hipped gable roof, wall surfaces of fieldstone and shingles, a boldly arched fieldstone porch and varied window arrangements. The house is fairly conservative in plan and detail, but the connected carriage barn is more striking, with a sweeping roof, eyebrow windows and a large arched fieldstone entrance. The property was listed because it is Taunton's most intact example of a large Shingle Style house with a matching carriage barn. Its landscaped, estate-like setting also reflects the prosperity the city enjoyed toward the end of the 19th century. The form records no alterations and no move.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the property is Taunton's most intact example of a large Shingle Style house with a complementary carriage barn. Its estate-like setting and landscaping recall the city's period of greatest prosperity in the late 19th century. The barn, with eyebrow windows and deep arched openings, closely approaches prototypical Shingle Style resort architecture.
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 84002176, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 188 Berkley St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002176 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as a residence in current use; the form states it is unaltered and has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 41.87946, -71.08920 (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 84002176.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7781880
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.