Simcock House
Why it's listed
Built around 1765, this farmhouse at 1074 Sharps Lot Road sits in a rural part of northeastern Swansea. It is a 2½-story, shingled, center-chimney house with a three-room plan, but its three-bay facade has an entry right of center and irregularly spaced windows, which is unusual for the town. A two-story gabled ell was added at the rear in the early 19th century, and the interior has six fireplaces. Barn and well house outbuildings date from about 1890, along with an altered milk house. Local records show the Simcock family, English immigrants who came to work in Fall River textile mills, owning the farm by the late 19th century. They ran it for dairying and market gardening, which continues today. The house was listed for its architecture as a distinctive local variation on Georgian vernacular design. Its original form remains uncertain, and it may have begun as a two-bay half-house.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house meets Criterion C as a unique form of vernacular Georgian house in Swansea. Its asymmetrical three-bay, center-entry facade is unusual locally, even though its 2½-story height, center chimney and three-room plan are typical. The farm's later dairying and market gardening also reflect important parts of Swansea's late 19th and early 20th century economy.
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 90000063, listed February 16, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1074 Sharps Lot Rd., Swansea |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000063 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Georgian vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, used as a residence/farmstead, with market gardening still operating on the property. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.78040, -71.17152 (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 90000063.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7517488
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.