Picard, Israel, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1897 at 690 County Street in Fall River, this large granite mansion was designed and built by Israel Picard for his own use. Picard ran the Fall River Pink Granite Quarry, and the house probably served as an advertisement for his business. Its rock-faced granite blocks are laid in straight courses from the foundation to a stone bracketed cornice, under a slate hip roof with patterned shingles in the gable. A two-story Queen Anne porch with turned posts and a pierced-board balustrade covers the entire front and part of one side. The house stands out in a modest neighborhood of triple-deckers and two-family homes. Granite curbing and posts line the property, and a granite stable at the rear has been converted to a house. The building later became a funeral home and remains well maintained and intact. It was listed for its distinctive architecture, unusual use of pink granite, and fine craftsmanship.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of the most unusual in Fall River because of its granite block construction, exuberant porch detailing, and well-maintained, intact condition. It was built by Israel Picard, proprietor of the Fall River Pink Granite Quarry, and probably advertised his business. The form says it meets criterion C for its distinctive architecture, unusual use of pink granite, and fine craftsmanship.
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 83000702, listed February 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 690 County St., Fall River |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000702 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Israel Picard (architect); original owner and builder of record Israel Picard |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Presently used as a funeral home; described as well-maintained and intact, with a granite stable at the rear converted to a house. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.70176, -71.12886 (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 83000702.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715619
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.