Paull, Alfred, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1860 at 467 Weir Street in Taunton, this two-story house is a well-preserved example of Second Empire design with Eastlake detailing. It is roughly square in plan, has a rear ell, and sits under an unusually high bell-cast Mansard roof. A porch across the facade and part of one side rests on chamfered posts with curved pendant brackets. Windows are both two-over-two and triple-hung, reaching parlor-floor length. The deep cornice has paired brackets, and a sloping-sided central dormer carries a paneled, decoratively painted vergeboard. The original owner is recorded as James Paull, a wheelwright who ran a carriage-making business and, with his brother Alfred, owned a large amount of property in Weir Village, much of it sold for residential construction. The house was listed as one of Taunton's best surviving Second Empire houses and as typical of homes built by successful local entrepreneurs. It has not been altered or moved and remains a residence.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of the most ornate and best surviving Second Empire (Mansard) houses in Taunton. It also represents the type of residence built by successful entrepreneurs in Weir Village, and it was the home of an important figure in the village's 19th-century industrial and commercial life.
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 84002196, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 467 Weir St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002196 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Second Empire with Eastlake details |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence; the form records no alterations and no moving of the building. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Coordinates | 41.88908, -71.09011 (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 84002196.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4723269
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.