Perry, James, House
Why it's listed
Set 30 feet from the road at a sharp curve and overlooking the Palmer River, this cross gable cottage at 121 Perryville Road in Rehoboth was built around 1860-1870 for James H. Perry, brother of mill founder Daniel Perry. Daniel Perry bought land here in 1831 and started a turning mill that made butter moulds, farm tools and bobbins for textile manufacturers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The family ran the business until the end of the 19th century. The house is described as the town's finest Italianate building. Its features include a double round-headed window in the central gable, eaves decorated with modillions and paired brackets, and a Late Greek Revival style doorway with sidelights and pilasters. Inside, original four-over-four windows, mouldings, doors and a turned newel post survive. A maintained mill race, part of an earthen dam and likely buried industrial remains lie beside the house, linking the residence to the Perry mill operations.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the finest example of Italianate architecture in Rehoboth. It is also tied to James H. Perry and the Perry family's turning mill business, which shaped the town's 19th-century economy. The mill race, part of an earthen dam and possible subsurface industrial remains lie next to the house.
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 83000701, listed June 6, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 121 Perryville Rd., Rehoboth |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | June 6, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000701 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by James H. Perry |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; the form lists no major alterations and says the house retains many original features. |
| Acreage | 13 |
| Coordinates | 41.86081, -71.25684 (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 83000701.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6141179
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.