Robinson, Capt. Joel, House
Also known as: Heritage Farm
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Captain Joel Robinson built this farmhouse around 1790 on land his family had held since 1713, in a wooded residential part of Attleboro. It is a two and one-half story, gable-roofed, clapboarded house with a central chimney, a five-bay south facade and a six-panel door under a semicircular fan. Much original interior finish survives, including raised-panel fireplace walls, built-in cupboards, wide pine floorboards and fireplaces in all six main rooms. A kitchen ell was added in 1863, and a replacement garage followed the removal of the unsafe original barn in 1963. The house is the oldest in its part of Attleboro and stayed with the same family for nine generations. The Robinsons were among the first three families to settle the area. Joel Robinson served in the Revolution, was a militia captain, and is believed to have built several other period houses in town. The road was renamed Rocklawn Avenue c. 1890 after a large red sandstone boulder on the lot.
Significance in brief: The house is the oldest in its part of Attleboro and was owned by nine generations of the same Robinson family, on land they had held since 1713. Its builder, Captain Joel Robinson, was a Revolutionary War veteran, militia captain, farmer and housewright. Reviewers also noted it as an intact, straightforward example of a late eighteenth-century farmhouse.
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 78000428, listed November 20, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 111 Rocklawn Ave., Attleboro |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | November 20, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000428 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1790 |
| Architect / builder | Joel Robinson |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition; privately owned and occupied as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 2.6 |
| Coordinates | 41.93819, -71.33187 (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 78000428.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5036434
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.