Old Colony Railroad Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1876 at 40 Dean Street in Taunton, this brick depot was constructed by the Old Colony Railroad when it ran an extension branch through the city. The line's placement beside the Old Colony Iron Company complex in East Taunton owed much to company president Samuel Crocker, who lobbied for it. The one-and-a-half-story building is Italianate in style, with a cross-gabled roof, common-bond brick walls, granite lintels, staggered granite quoins and a wide overhang on deep truss brackets that shelters the platform. Later brick and frame additions have altered it, and it has served as a building supply store, yet it remains relatively intact. Taunton once had depots in the central area, Whittenton, East Taunton and Myricksville, and this is the only one still standing. It was listed for its architecture and for its link to the railroads that supported the city's industrial and commercial growth.
Significance in brief: It is the only standing railroad depot left in Taunton and a relatively intact example of Italianate commercial architecture. It is described as the city's most visible remaining link to the era when rail lines fostered industrial and commercial growth. The form says it meets criteria A and 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 84002192, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 40 Dean St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002192 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a building supply store (commercial retail); altered by a mid-20th-century one-story brick addition and a frame addition. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.90445, -71.08181 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 84002192.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7083746
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.